Introduction

1. Introduction Banana is widely grown in India on about 2,70,000 hectares and covers about 16 per cent of total fruit grown area. About 182 insect pests are known to infest banana crop around the world. The banana stem borer is the most destructive pest on banana in India. The pests feeding on banana seedling are banana stem borer, banana aphid and banana scale moth.

2. Banana Stem Borer Banana Stem Borer Nature of Damage: Banana Stem borer/ Banana Weevil causes destruction of corm tissue. Stem borer attacks growing point and kills seedlings and tunnels into sown corms. Adult stem borer remain hidden during daytime and feed on stem and suckers during night . Stem borer infested seedling become weak and eventually rot.

3. Banana Borer Control: Borer Resistant Banana Varieties: Poovan, Kadali, Kunnan, Chitti, Basrai, poomkali, Sawaii, etc. Destruction of hideouts, sheltering and feeding places of adult banana borers / weevils. Infested banana suckers & seedlings should not be used for new plantation. Dip Banana Suckers in 0.1% Quinalphos emulsion or 0.05 % Chloropyriphos solution before planting. In case of attack, spray 5 ml of dimethoate 30 EC or Fenitrothion 50 EC in 10 Liters of water around the base of the banana seedlings.

4. Banana Aphid Banana Aphid Nature of Damage: Banana aphids congregates under outer leaf base on pseudo-stems and around crown of the banana plants. Banana aphids acts as vector for virus causing "bunchy-top of banana" disease in banana. Control: Spray 0.06% Dimethoate or 0.05%. Methyl oxy-demeton on seedling. Rouge out virus affected plants before spraying. Banana Aphid

5. Banana Scale Moth Adult of Banana Scale Moth Nature of Damage Banana scale moth caterpillars feed on young leaves, which show scale like scars and refuse of larvae. Control Spray 0.07%. Malathion insecticide on banana seedlings Larva of Banana Scale Moth

6. White Grub White grub or root grub is the immature stage of Scarab beetles popularly known as cock chafers, leaf chafer, chafer beetle, May beetle or June beetle. Host Plants White Grub is a polyphagus pest and feed on almost all kharif season crops. It is widely seen in groundnut crop and chilies of sandy loam soil. White Grub are mainly observed during rainy season in nursery. Larva of White Grub

7. White Grub Nature of Damage The white grub and adult feeds on the living roots and later adults feeds on shrubs and the trees like neem, khejri etc. growing near the nursery fields. The young grubs after hatching in the soil headed towards the roots and start feeding on them. Consequent to feeding, the plants show varying degree of yellowing, some get wilted and ultimately die. Such affected plants easily collapse. Adult of White Grub

8. White Grub Control: Collect and destruct beetles in kerosene mixed water and using light traps / pheromone traps during night hours. Spray 0.0 % Carbaryl on the host plants. Deep ploughing of field is a good practice. Pre-sowing soil treatment with Phorate 10G or Quinalphos 5G or Carbofuran 3G @ 300 gm / gunta and treatment of planting materials with Chlorpyriphos @15-20 ml/kg of sukers. Application of Quinalphos or Chlorpyriphos at 400 ml / gunta with irrigation water in standing banana crop. Bio-control: Pathogenic nematode infecting white grub.

9. Termite or White Ants Types Termite Host Plants Polyphagus pest of all nursery plants. Nature of Damage In loamy and light soils in dry areas where proper facilities for irrigation are not available, the termite infestation is more serious. The infestation of termite is more in rabbi season. Termites feed on cellulose in the roots of seedling. As a result of infestation, the leaves get dry and seedling can easily be pulled out. In later stage the whole seedling withers.

10. Termite or White Ants Termite Worker Control Use of well decomposed organic manure. Remove dead and decaying organic matter or dry stubbles from field to avoid termite infestation. Irrigation protects the plants from termite. Treat soil with Quinalphos 1.5 % or methyl parathion 2 % dust @ 0.25 kg / gunta before planting Suckers. Seed treatment with Chlorpyriphos 20 EC @ 6 ml/kg seed or acephate 75SP @ 4 gm / kg seed. Apply Chlorpyriphos 20EC @ 400 ml / gunta with irrigation water.