Lesson 3: Pink Borer

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Lesson 3 Pink Borer
The adult moth is fawn colored, with dark brown
streaks on the fore wings and white hind wings
(Fig.). The female lays about 150 eggs arranged
in two or three rows between the leaf sheath and
the stem of the host plant. The eggs are
creamy-white and hemispherical, and about 0.7 mm
in diameter.
Pink Borer Moth
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Lesson 3 Pink Borer
The fully grown larva (Fig.) measures about 25 mm
and is pale yellow with a purple pink tinge and a
reddish-brown head. The larval period normally
lasts for 25 days during which time sorghum crop
is damaged.
Pink Borer Larvae
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Lesson 3 Pink Borer
Crop damage The larvae bores into the stem
(Fig.) and kills the central shoot, causing
deadhearts. One larva may attack several plants
in its lifetime. The symptoms are similar to
those of spotted stem borer.
Pink Borer damage
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Lesson 3 Pink Borer
Management Management of Pink Borer is
similar to that of Spotted Stem Borer. So,
please refer to the management practices given
earlier for Spotted Stem Borer.
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Module 3 Stem Pests
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics
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With this, the Lesson 3 on Pink Borer in
Sorghum, and also this Module on Stem Pests in
Sorghum concludes. If you want to check your
understanding on about stem pests in sorghum,
please click on Exercise button given
above. The subsequent Modules in this course
deal with the other insect pests that attack
sorghum crop. Click Modules button and
select Module 4
Course on Insect Pests of Sorghum