The document discusses the maize stem borer pest, describing its life cycle from egg to adult, morphology at each stage, damage caused by feeding caterpillars, and recommended management practices including cultural, biological, and chemical control methods such as using neem products in the leaf whorl. Key details provided include eggs being laid in batches of 30-100 under leaf sheaths, caterpillars tunneling into stems where they feed for weeks before pupating, and the life cycle taking 7-8 weeks but larvae sometimes entering diapause over winter.

1. Maize Stem Borer

2. Introduction
 Maize stem borer is a common pest in
many African countries throughout
subsaharan african. Therefore it is
also known as African stem borer.

3. Morphology:
 Eggs- are round flattened and about
1mm in diameter.
 Laid in batches of 30 to 100 under leaf
sheaths in a long column.
 White in color when laid but darken
with passage of time.

4. Cater pillar
 Cater pillar- are light or dark violet to
pinkish white in color. They lack hair
and look smooth & shiny
 hatching cater pillar are blackish

5. Morphology Cont:
 Pupae- are shiny yellow brown to dark
brown and about 25mm long.
 Adult- have a wingspan of about 25-
30mm. Females are generally larger
males. The forewings are light dark
brown and the hind wings are white to
grayish color.

6. Life Cycle
 Adult months lays eggs in a row b/w the stem and leafs
sheath.
 The youngest unfolded leaf beings the most attractive
part of the leaves for females.
 The eggs batch in 3-5 days and larvae move into the
leafs whorls to feed. When older (3rd instar) they tunnel
into the stem where they feed for 3-5 weeks before
pupation within the tunnels.
 The adult month will emerge after pupal period of 7-14
days from a hole that they have produced before
pupation.
 Adult mates soon after emergence under favorable
condition the life cycle can be completed in 7-8 weeks
but during dry and low cold weather the larvae can
enter a period of suspended development (diapuse) of
6 months.

7. Damage
 Damage- is caused by the caterpillars
which first feed on young leaves but then
later enter into the stems during first
instar larvae feed in the young terminal
leaf producing characteristics patterns of
small holes.
 “window panes” when tissue have been
eaten away later they eat growing points
which may be killed so that it causes
dead heart.
 Older larvae tunnel extensively in stems
tunneling weakens the stem so that it
breaks and falls over.

8. Management:
 Cultural Practices:
 Monitoring
 Filed sanitation
 Maintaining soil fertility
 Maize-legumen rotation

9. Biological Control
 Many natural enemies of the African
maize stalk borer have been reported
two of the most abundant natural
enemies or the larval parasitoids
cotesia sesamiac and bracon
sesamiac

10. Chemical Control
 Simple neem products are reported to
be effective for control of stem borers.
Neem products (power from grand
neem seeds) are reportedly effective
and may be applied to the leaf whorl in
a 1:1 mixture with dry clay or sawdust.
Pesticides are poison so it is essential
to follow all safety precautions.

11. Thanks
Presented by: Sana
Fazeel