Radio Programme on how to Control Stemborers in Maize and Sorghum
In this radio programme, we’re going to talk about simple actions that small-scale farmers can take to control stem borers on their farms. The programmme will specifically talk about:
• How to identify stem borer presence in maize and sorghum,
• How to overcome stem borers on your farm, and finally
• How to prevent stem borers from attacking your maize and sorghum
Stemborers are dangerous insect pests in Uganda. They are capable of destroying a great deal of the maize and sorghum plants. Crops between 3 to 5 weeks old are at a higher risk of attack by the Stemborer caterpillar. Stemborers are notorious for killing or stunting corn rows next to fences, grassed waterways, and conservation terraces. How do stemborers get into your maize or sorghum crop? It happens when moths lay eggs on the plant. The eggs hatch in about two to five days. The freshly hatched caterpillars migrate towards the central shoot where they first feed on the tender leaves for sometime. Later on they bore into top internode and move downwards. In case of younger plants, the growing point gets badly damaged resulting into the drying up of the central shoot.
