Some Observations on the Phenomenon of Revival of Sugarcane Shoots attacked by the Early Shoot Borer

While studying the borer incidence and borer population in cane shoots, in the Trichogramma colonisation Experimental plots at Nellikuppama very interesting phenomenon was noticed. During the course of the studies, all the dead-hearts in the experimental plots were split open and examined. It was found that Argyria sticticraspis was responsible for most of the dead-hearts while Scirpophoga sp. and Diatrae Venosata were comparatively unimportant in producing deadhearts. It was also observed, that the central core of most of the shoots was dead and rotton but quite surprisingly, a few shoots, showed the presence of healthy central growing point, which was even found producing a fresh central shoot pushing out the dead-heart. This observation indicated that all the borer attacked shoots may not die but that some of them may survive the attack.