The potential of vetiver grass as a biological control for the rice stem borers Chilo suppressalis and Sesamia inferens
Author of the article:LU Yan-Hui** ZHENG Xu-Song Lü Zhong-Xian***
Author's Workplace:State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou 310021, China
Key Words: Chilo suppressalis, Sesamia inferens, dead-end plant, vetiver grass
Abstract:
Vetiver grass, Vetiveria zizanioides is a perennial,
tufty, herbaceous plant that is an attractive oviposition site for adult female
rice stem borers of the species Chilo suppressalis and Sesamia inferensto. However,
because the larvae of these species cannot complete their life cycles on this
plant it is effectively a natural trap for these pests. Planting V. zizanioides control C. suppressalis and S. inferens could reduce insecticide use, improve the effectiveness of natural enemies such as
parasitoids and enhance biodiversity. V.
zizanioides has the advantages of being highly adaptable, easy to plant and
manage, ornamental and having a vegetative mode of propagation that prevents it
becoming an invasive weed in farmland. Planting this grass could therefore,
provide, a new, environmentally-friendly way of controlling of pests that both
increases farmers' income and benefits the environment.