Damage: Egg are laid on the underside of the leaves, freshly hatched larvae move downwards to leaf sheath and feed on inner tissue, With the advancement of growth and development larvae bore into stem bore into stem and feed on inner surface. Due to such feeding at vegetative stage the central leaf whorl unfold, turns brown and dries up which is termed as Dead Hearth. Infestation after the panicle initiation result in drying of panicle which may not emerges at all and those that have already emerges do not produce grain and appears as white head.

Management:

• The removal and Destruction of stubbles after the harvest decreases the carry over to next crop. Harvesting the plant close to the ground.
• Clipping off tip of seedling before transplanting reduced carry over of egg from nursery to main field. As the egg of stem borers are laid near the tip of leave.
• Release Trichogramma japonicum, T. chilonis an egg parasitoid@ 50,000 -1,00,000 adult/ ha.
• Avoid high dose fertilizer.
• Fields sowing more then 5 per cent dead hearts should be sprayed with 1.4liters of Monocrotophos 36 SL, 2.5 liters of Chlorpyriphos 20 EC in 250 liters of water/ha or 7.5 kg Phorate10G/ ha or Fipronil 3G @ 15 kg/ha or Cartap 4G @ 25 kg/ha.