A technique for rearing Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller),larvae in laboratory, infesting plants in the field and evaluating treatments was described and tested in rice. In addition, the performance of insecticides as seed treatments to control larvae, under artificial and natural infestations, was evaluated on three planting dates. The experimental design was a Latin 6x6 square and the experimental unit consisted of seven 4 m long rows and 0.4 m spacing between rows. Treatments consisted of the following insecticides and doses: thiamethoxam (52.5, 70, and 105 g a.i./100 kg seeds), furathiocarb (320 g a.i./100kg seeds), carbofuran (525 g a.i./100kg seeds), and an untreated control. Artificial infestations were made, in two groups of three selected tillers at the border rows in each plot and confined in PVC cylinders on three dates of each planting. Tillers were infested with three 7-day old E. lignosellus larvae. Immediately after infestation, cylinders containing three rice tillers were protected to avoid the effect of rain on the larvae. Damage was evaluated 20 days after the infestations. Artificial infestations increased the damage 32 fold, in relation to natural infestations in the untreated control. Insecticides reduced larval survival significantly for 60 days after planting compared to the untreated control.
Insect; lesser cornstalk borer insect rearing; seed dressing
