Damage Symptoms
• The nymphs and adults are found in the leaf whorls and under the sheathing bases of leaves.
• Both nymphs and adults suck the sap resulting in stunting of racoon crops.
• The leaves of affected plants turn pak yellow with brown patches.
• In severe infestation,the tips and margins of the leaves dry up gradually and the entire plant may wither.
• The growth of the plant is arrested and the quality of juke is adversely affected
• Black bug incidence is heavy in ratoon fields. Where trash is wintering individuals are responsible for the outbreak of the pest during the pre-monsoon period.
• The loss due to this pest damage is severe in unirrigated fields.
Management
• To clean sugarcane stubble from the fields during March-April when the pest is usually found in huge numbers in fresh ratoon sprouts, proves helpful in destroying the pest in the early stages of its activity.
• The trash and the dry leaves left in the field after harvesting the crop can be utilized for this purpose.
• Application of the insecticide should be target in whorls to reach that particular portion of the plant. Application of dimethoate 30 EC @ 2 ml/litre or Acephate 50 % + Imidacloprid 01.80 % SP @2.5 ml/litre of water directed towards the leaf.