Sugarcane protection from destructive pests imperative for higher yield: Experts

FAISALABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jul, 2026) The agriculture experts urged sugarcane growers to adopt timely and integrated pest management practices to protect their crop from destructive insect attacks and said that effective control of harmful pests is imperative for achieving high per-acre yields and maintaining crop quality.

A spokesman of Agriculture (Extension) Department said that the sugarcane pyrilla, a major sap-sucking pest, poses a serious threat to the crop by feeding on the underside of leaves.

Both nymphs and adult insects suck plant sap, while the honeydew they excrete promotes the growth of black sooty mould, which blocks photosynthesis and severely reduces the plant's ability to produce food, he added.

He advised the farmers to encourage biological control by preserving and releasing beneficial parasitic insects wherever they are found in sufficient numbers.

He recommended cutting six-inch portions of sugarcane leaves carrying the eggs and cocoons of the beneficial parasite and transferring them to affected fields to naturally suppress pyrilla populations.

He said that sugarcane whitefly is another damaging pest whose nymphs feed on leaf sap, causing leaves to turn yellow and dry under severe infestations while stunting plant growth.

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In case of pyrilla attack, the growers should manually collect and destroy adult insects and nymphs by using hand nets. Where infestation is confined to a limited area, the affected leaves should be removed and buried in the soil to prevent further spread, he added.

He also recommended the application of granular insecticides, in consultation with local agricultural specialists of the Punjab Agriculture Department, before the sugarcane crop reaches a height of six feet, if required under field conditions.

He strongly advised farmers against burning sugarcane trash after harvesting, as it destroys beneficial insects that naturally help keep harmful pest populations under control.

For chemical control of harmful insects, he urged the growers to use only recommended pesticides after consulting local experts of the Agriculture Department's Extension and Pest Warning Wing to ensure effective pest management while safeguarding crop productivity.