S K Duttamajumder

Moth Borers of Sugarcane with Colored IIIustrations S K Duttamajumder

In India, in the overall insect pests' scenario of sugarcane, moth borers alone account for around 55-60% of the total crop loss. The book Moth borers of Sugarcane is a visual treat of photographs that unfolds the borer complex of sugarcane in a lucid manner spanning 649 pages. In fact, it is a cornerstone publication on Sugarcane Entomology. The first Technical Bulletin on this subject ""Identification of the striped moth borers of sugarcane in lndia"" (20 pages) was published by Mr. B. D. Gupta in 1958. It was felt that a revision with the current knowledge would be appropriate to cater the present needs. The author fervently took up this challenge to develop an identification manual of the important moth borers of sugarcane that even a nonprofessional could use with confidence. The present publication, in addition to the striped borers, encompasses other important moth borers of sugarcane. Moreover, it also contains information on symptoms of infestations, different life stages of the moth borers and key identifying characters for each stage of the life cycle. It is often axiomed that ""A picture is worth a thousand words"". Obviously, a good colour photograph speaks volumes and often leaves an indelible impression on the mind of the reader that words and explanations cannot do. This publication bridges the longstanding gap of a comprehensive publication detailing the easily identifiable characters of moth borers of sugarcane with suitable and vivid colour photographs of symptoms of infestations as well as different life stages of the pest. To be honest, it is not a xientific treatise on moth borers of sugarcane written for the use and training of Entomologists. Rather it is intended to serve the more humble but useful purpose of a manual of practical information for the use of the farmers, extension personnel and cane development workers who are interested to learn about the moth borer pests of sugarcane. At the end, a chapter on the identification of important bio-agents that are commonly used to contain these borer pests has been added.