Technical Guide Yellow Stem Borer (Scirpophaga incertulas)

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Technical Guide

Yellow Stem Borer

(Scirpophaga incertulas)

Exosect Limited. Leylands Business Park, Colden Common, Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1TH. United Kingdom

Distributor details:

Ecotoxicological information

Non hazardous to the environment.

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YSBTab

Exosex

®

YSB

Tab

is an unique and effective crop protection

solution for conventional, organic and IPM growers.

Exosex YSB

Tab

offers an environmentally friendly means of

controlling Yellow Stem Borer of rice as part of a “Zero

residue” IPM approach which includes the targeted use of

approved insecticides or mass trapping in nursery crops.

Flexible use with

up to 55 – 65 days

coverage

Ideal for Integrated Pest

Management (IPM)

strategies, including

“Zero residue”

requirements

Kind to the crop,

no risk of spray

scorch or abiotic

stress

Exosex

®

YSB

_Tab

provides

continuous activity, even

during difficult weather

conditions when spraying

may be delayed

Provides

anti-resistance support

for insecticides

Exosex

®

YSB

Tab

provides

robust reliable protection

against Yellow stem borer of

rice matching or exceeding

industry standards

All packaging is suitable

for recycling in line with

local requirements whilst

tablets and hangers are

biodegradable

Can be used in

organic crops

Large cost saving in

labour compared to

mass trapping or

repeat insecticide

treatments

Season long

control costs no

more than

insecticide

programmes

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® YSBTab

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Male moths are attracted to the Exosex

YSB

Tab

which contains Entostat powder

formulated with synthetic female

pheromone.

Male moths pick up Entostat powder

and female pheromone.

The male’s pheromone receptors

become overloaded and so the male is

unable to locate females.

Entostat

TM

is a food grade powder refined from a natural

wax, which is harvested from a particular species of

palm tree.

The active ingredient is a species-specific pheromone,

which is impregnated into the Entostat powder.

Entostat powder is

natural technology

An electrostatic charge

builds up on an insect

cuticle and is generated

through the insect’s

movement

(tribo-charging), e.g. the insect

walking on a surface or

flying through the air.

The charge is dependent

upon the surface which

can be either positive or

negative. The entostat

powder being bipolar will

be attracted strongly to

the charged insect

cuticle.

A male carrying Entostat powder will

form a mobile pheromone dispenser,

producing “false” pheromone trails,

which attract additional males.

Contact between the males ensures

that the Entostat powder and the

confusion effect is automatically

passed on, this process is called

Auto-Confusion. The result is a state

of sexual confusion amongst the male

moth population leading to effective

mating disruption.

The Auto-Confusion effect dramatically

reduces the chances of the female

moth to mate. In the unlikely event that

mating does occur, delays beyond the

optimum period of fertility of the female

moth will reduce the number and

viability of the eggs.

Antenna

(before contact with Entostat powder)

Antenna

(after contact with Entostat powder)

Exosex

®

YSB

Tab

is an “Auto-Confusion” system using the male

moth to distribute the pheromone impregnated Entostat powder.

Unlike Mating Disruption systems, Exosex YSB

Tab

employs “Auto-Confusion”. Using Exosect’s

patented Entostat powder technology, Exosex YSB

Tab

uniquely produces an automatic transfer of

the confusion effect in male moths. This spreads sexual confusion throughout the male moth

population (Auto-Confusion

TM

) thereby requiring a lower number of dispensers per ha.

Palm

Wax

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YSBTab Under the Integrated Pest

Management (IPM) approach, Exosex YSBTab

should be deployed immediately after the transplanted crop has become established to form the basis of the control programme throughout the season. It should be supported by prior treatment in the nursery crop either by appropriate, well timed, approved insecticide treatments or by the use of mass trapping.

The use of Exosex YSBTab

helps to reduce insecticide treatments which could leave residues in the crop.

Minimising insecticide treatments

Exosex YSB

Tab

is

totally safe to

the operator

No harvest

intervals or

restrictions on

field entry

Exosex YSB

Tab

leaves no residues

in crops

Exosex YSB

Tab

activity is specific

to Yellow Stem

Borer of rice.

Assists build up of

beneficial pest

predators

Anti-resistance strategy

for valuable insecticides

as Yellow Stem Borer life

cycle is disrupted prior

to egg laying

Naturally occurring,

solvent and propellant

free, Entostat powder

is safe to the public

and the environment

Spray thresholds

Crops should be monitored regularly for “dead hearts” throughout the growing season and where the numbers exceed the local economic threshold an approved insecticide should promptly be applied according to its manufacturers recommendations Tablet replacement

Tablets should be replaced to match the flight of the next generation of moths, with a maximum of 55 to 65 days after setting out the previous tablet. This ensures that maximum activity is available when moths are flying.

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YSBTab

Dispensers are visible

and easy to locate in

the field. This ensures

proper deployment and

avoids loss during

field operations

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Exosex YSBTabconsists of a

hanger and a tablet containing compressed Entostat powder and Yellow stem borer pheromone.

Exosex YSBTabis supplied in

boxes containing 2 bags of 80 hangers and 2 tubs of 88 tablets to allow for breakages in transit. Also included are instructions for use.

Remove one tablet from the

container and place it into

the holder, gently pushing

until it reaches the bottom of

the hole

Secure the the hanger

to the stick

Place the hanger just above

the crop canopy. Reposition

the hanger at each tablet

replacement to maintain the

position above the crop

canopy

Entostat

powder is

unaffected by

high winds or

rainfall

Entostat powder is unaffected by UV light or high temperatures

The hanger is made

from biodegradable

material and is

designed to last for

no more than one

season. Can be

secured to pre-placed

sticks in the field

See illustration below:

Dispensers should be placed about 11 m apart throughout the field. Start at the corner of the field with the first dispenser about 7 m in from that corner.

Additional dispensers should be placed in areas likely to

experience higher pest pressure – see page 10.

7m 11m m e tr e s metres

Pheromones are most effective when used in fields of 2 ha and above. If the field is less than 2 ha, guard barriers should be put in place e.g. add a second row of dispensers on the external perimeter.

Basic grid layout dispensers Where circumstances demand, an extra row of reinforcement dispensers should be placed adjacent to the area of pest pressure Re-inforcement dispensers 7m 18m

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Avoid product contamination

Do not handle other types of insect lures or

pheromone products before or after placement of product without thoroughly washing hands.

Adjacent untreated rice fields

Areas adjacent to infested fields of rice even up to 100 m away where Yellow Stem Borer is not controlled are likely to suffer from a higher infestation level and necessitate the application of an additional row of dispensers along the field edge.

Raised areas or banks at field borders

Banks at the edges of fields can serve as a physical barrier to moth flight leading to higher local infestations.

Rice seedling nurseries

These serve as a source of pest infestation and necessitate the application of an additional row of dispensers along the field edge.

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YSBTab

Q. Is the system expensive compared to insecticides?

A. Trials have shown that in most situations Exosex YSBTabcan

replace traditional insecticide programmes at a similar cost for the season.

Q. How can Exosex YSBTabbe effective

with so few dispensers per ha?

A. Exosex YSBTabis an

“Auto-Confusion” system; the pheromone in the Entostat powder is carried around the field by the male Yellow stem borer moth itself, therefore in practice there are a very high number of “dispensers”. Each male moth is potentially an extra dispenser.

Q. Is Exosex YSBTab

affected by high winds?

A. Provided the dispenser is properly attached to the stick with the tablet firmly in place the dispenser will be unaffected by high winds. The supporting sticks should be pushed firmly into the ground.

Q. Is Exosex YSBTab

affected by rain?

A. Entostat powder does not absorb water and will return to its normal state as soon as any surface water has evaporated.

Q. What should I be aware of when using Exosex YSBTabin an

area with a history of high Yellow stem borer pressure?

A. As with Mating Disruption systems, Exosex YSBTabcan be

overwhelmed in areas of very high pest pressure. In situations of high pest pressure, it is essential to have good crop monitoring discipline and to treat with appropriate insecticides if thresholds are exceeded.

Q. Why should we combine fields into areas of more than 2 ha for the system?

A. As with Mating Disruption systems, Exosex YSBTabrequires

a minimum area to be effective. Too large a border area, compared

to total surface area, could easily allow female moths to enter and lay eggs when they have already mated in the surrounding fields. A larger surface area compared to border size reduces this risk.

Q. Why could I find “hot spots” of Yellow Stem Borer damage?

A. Surrounding fields that receive inadequate control programmes can lead to localised areas of higher pest infestation particularly if the infested fields are upwind. Raised field boundaries can serve as physical barriers to moths leading to increased local infestations.

Q. Why does the tablet need to be replaced after 55-65 days?

A. After 55-65 days the tablets should be replaced. This ensures that fresh pheromone is present for each new generation of the pest.

Q. Do I need to change the tablet even if there is still powder present?

A. Pheromone needs to be released at an optimal level to attract male Yellow Stem Borer moths. Too much, or too little pheromone can detrimentally affect the performance of any pheromone system. The Exosex YSBTab

tablet releases the optimum amount of pheromone for 55-65 days.

After this point, the tablet must be replaced to maintain the correct level of control, even if there is plenty of powder left in the tablet. Consult the product label for your country to see the stated number of days the tablet should be deployed before tablet replacement is recommended for your market conditions. If in doubt please contact Exosect directly.

Q. Does the shape of the field need to be taken into account as well as the size?

A.Narrow fields are likely to suffer more pressure from pre-mated females flying in from neighbouring high pressure areas. Consolidating strips together will help to reduce this problem.

Q. What protective clothing does the operator need to wear?

A. Exosex YSBTabis totally

safe to the operator and no personal protective clothing is required.

Untreated field less than 100m away

Rice seedling nurseries

Optimising Exosex

®

YSB

_Tab

performance

Place close above the crop canopy

Yellow Stem Borer moth activity and mating are concentrated in the crop canopy, so dispensers should be placed approximately 1 foot above the crop canopy and raised at tablet replacement to maintain relative position

Dispenser placement

Trials have shown the optimum number of dispensers to be 80/ha. Dispensers should be placed uniformly throughout the treated field (see suggested placement grid, page 9).

Field size

Pheromones are most effective when used in fields of 2 ha and above. If the field is between 2 and 5 ha, guard barriers should be put in place e.g. add a second row of dispensers on the external perimeter.

Early deployment is essential

The Exosex YSBTab

dispensers should be in place in the field before Yellow Stem Borer moth flight occurs.

Tablet replacement

Tablets should be replaced after 55 - 65 days to match moth generations.

Local environmental factors that

influence dispenser placement

Local conditions will affect the distribution of Yellow Stem Borer hence the density of yellow stem borer throughout the crop will vary and may necessitate reinforcement of areas of high activity with additional dispensers.

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Exosex YSBTab can offer a safe alternative to broad spectrum insecticides

Exosex YSB

Tab

has

been shown to be at

least as effective as

mass trapping

In trials Exosex YSB

Tab

has consistently

matched the

performance of

insecticide programs

Dispensers/ties per ha

Time to set out per ha

Number of hangings

Estimated placement cost (Rs/ha)

Exosex YSB

Tab

is quick

and easy to use

Exosex YSB

Tab

cost

similar to insecticides

over the season

80 /ha 60 mins /ha 2 Rs 12.5 /ha

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Site: Cherukupalli, Andra Pradesh, Kharif season 2006 Exosex YSBTabwas found to reduce larval damage to within commercially acceptable levels, comparable to those achieved with mass trapping, and significantly better than Farmer insecticide programme.

The Exosex YSBTabsystem was tested in both the Kharif and Rabi rice

growing seasons of 2006 and 2007/2008. The first trial in the Kharif season of 2006 was a range finder type trial to determine the best formulation concentration and application rate. This chosen rate was then tested in a set of two trials in the 2006/2007 Rabi season with a higher number of replicates and a larger treatment area.

In the Kharif season of 2007 the same treatment was re-tested in an even larger area containing both basmati and non-basmati varieties in a different geographical location to the previous trials. The fifth set of trials was done in the 2007/2008 Rabi season, allowing the consolidation of 5 successful efficacy trials over 4 growing seasons.

19 23 26 29 03 6 9 12 15 18 27 30 02 5 8 11 14 17

Feb Mar Apr Mean

180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Sampling dates

Exosex YSB

Tab

reduced the population

of yellow stem borer moths more than

farmer insecticide and mass trapping

programmes

Site: ANGRAU University, Andhra Pradesh, Rabi season 2007/8, plot size 3ha Exosex YSBTaboffers an effective and practical alternative to insecticides and mass trapping for control of Yellow Stem Borer in basmati rice crops

105 99 90 47 37 26 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 Mass trapping Exosex YSBTab

Farmer insecticide programme

% tiller/pannicle damage

programmes

D a y s a ft e r tr e a tm e n t

Site: ANGRAU University, Andhra Pradesh, Rabi season 2007/8 Plot size 3 ha 75 65 55 45 35 25 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mass trapping Exosex YSBTab

programmes

Site: Cherukupalli, Andra Pradesh, Rabi season 2006/7: Exosex YSBTaboffers an effective and practical alternative to insecticides control of Yellow Stem Borer in rice crops

88 78 55 50 35 25 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Farmer insecticide programme Exosex YSBTab

Exosex YSB

Tab

reduced tiller and

panicle damage similar to Farmer

insecticide programme

Site: GBPANT University, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, Kharif season 2007, plot size 8ha

Exosex YSBTaboffers an effective and practical alternative to mass trapping for control of Yellow Stem Borer in basmati rice crops 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mass trapping Exosex YSBTab

% tiller/panicle damage

Exosex YSB

Tab

reduced

tiller and panicle damage

more than mass trapping

D a y s a ft e r tr e a tm e n t Mass trapping Exosex YSBTab

N u m b e r o f m o th s c a p tu re d p e r 3 d a y s

Site: ANGRAU University, Andhra Pradesh, Rabi season 2007/8 Plot size 3 ha

Exosex YSBTabwas shown to be environmentally friendly by preserving the beneficial predator population, (mainly spiders and coccinellids) compared to a reduction by the insecticide programme 75 65 55 45 35 25 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 Farmer insecticide programme

Exosex YSBTab

% tiller/panicle damage

Use of Exosex YSB

Tab

significantly

increases beneficial predator

populations compared to insecticide

programmes

all stem borer prone

rice growing

areas/season”

Acharaarya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU)

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YSBTab

Exosect is actively focussed on the development and sales of

Intelligent Pest Management solutions. Our innovative and

cost-effective products help growers, food producers and

processors actively reduce their use of insecticides. Our goal

is to assist growers achieve zero residues in their crops and

produce high quality food for the consumer.

Our products are used globally in a wide range of sectors

including crop protection, (agriculture, horticulture and stored

products), apiculture, amenity and public health.

For more information on Exosect and its products visit:

www.exosect.com

USA South America Europe Middle East Far East South Africa Australia New Zealand

Effectiveness

Employs “Auto-Confusion”, causing male moths to distribute the product around the field

Male moths act as mobile pheromone dispensers providing huge increase of “free” dispensers and creating an “Auto-Confusion™_” effect amongst the Yellow Stem Borer moth population

Control targets the mating process prior to egg laying No risk of resistance developing

Pest specific Does not affect activity of beneficial insects in the field

Robust design enhances reliability No risk of loss of persistence from undetected damage to dispenser

during application. Activity is unaffected by wind or rainfall Proven in over 20 trials under wide ranging climatic conditions Provides confidence to grower that Exosex®_YSBTab_{will perform well}

Cost effective

Rapid deployment Simple and easy deployment saves time compared to mass trapping

or insecticide treatments

Season long cost similar to insecticides No additional costs during growing season

Continuous activity Large cost saving in labour compared to mass trapping methods or

repeat insecticide treatments

Convenience

Exosex YSBTabprovides continuous activity Avoids problems of maintaining spray timings during difficult weather

Dispensers visible, easily located in the field Avoids loss of dispensers during field operations

Provides visual reassurance to grower that dispenser has been deployed correctly

Product stored continuously below 5°C can be used the following season, above 5°C and below 20°C can be stored for up to 5 months

Ease of storage and stocking also reduces costs

Environmental benefits

Pest life cycle disrupted prior to egg laying Operator safety

Ideal for IPM programs – provides anti-resistance measure for insecticides

Species specific Assists biodiversity and supports natural predators

Entostat powder is naturally occurring, solvent and propellant free

Can be safely used close to homes, schools, hospitals and water courses

No harvest intervals Protection provided right up to harvest with no residues

No restrictions on field entry Field operations unaffected, no restrictions on public rights of way

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