Don’t Let Sorghum Leaf Roller Roll Over Your Crops: Integrated Management Strategies 

If you are a farmer or someone involved in agriculture, you may be familiar with sorghum leaf rollers, a pest that can cause significant damage to sorghum crops. If you are currently dealing with this pest, it’s important to take action to protect your fields and ensure that your yields are not affected. There are several effective strategies that can help you manage sorghum leaf rollers and minimize the damage they cause. This article will provide you with detailed information on how to deal with sorghum leaf rollers, including its integrated management methods. 

The female moth lays eggs on the underside of sorghum leaves, and the eggs hatch into small caterpillars within a few days. The larval or nymphal stage of the pest is the most damaging, as the caterpillars feed on the sorghum leaves and roll them. The pupal stage of the pest is spent inside the rolled leaves, and the adult moth emerges after about two weeks. High humidity and shady areas favor the development of leaf rollers.   

Type of Infestation  

The sorghum leaf roller infests sorghum crops by feeding on the leaves and rolling them up to form a shelter for themselves. This type of infestation is known as rolling or folding. 

Scientific Name: Marasmia trapezalis 

Most Affected States

The sorghum leaf roller is most commonly found in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. 

Symptoms of Sorghum Leaf Roller

The most common symptoms of infestation include:  

• The larva of sorghum leaf roller feed on the leaves and roll them up to form a shelter for themselves. 
• Infested leaves exhibit longitudinal patches, particularly near the tips. 
• The tip of the leaves become dry. 

Control Measures

If you are worried about these sorghum leaf roller infestations, you should consider an integrated management strategy to control the pest population. Here are some effective measures that can help control sorghum leaf rollers: 

Cultural Measures  

• Crop rotation can be followed to control sorghum leaf roller population. 
• Remove weeds and other plant debris. 
• Avoid using excessive amount of nitrogenous fertilizers. 
• Maintain good plant health through proper irrigation, fertilization and soil management practices to reduce the susceptibility of the sorghum plant to the pest. 

Mechanical Measures  

• Hand picking of rolled leaves and destroying them is the easiest way to control leaf roller damage. 

Biological Control

• Release an egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis in sorghum field to control the sorghum leaf roller population. 
• Ecotin Insecticide is a neem based biological insecticide containing Azadirachtin, which can be used effectively to control leaf rollers on sorghum plants. The recommended dosage is 0.4 – 0.7ml per liter of water. 
• Katyayani Organic Larvicide contains Bacillus thuringiensis which produces protein that blocks the digestive system of the insect and kills them. The recommended dosage is 10ml per liter of water. 

Chemical Measures

If the infestation is severe, commercial insecticides can be used to control the sorghum leaf roller population. Here are some commonly used insecticides for controlling leaf rollers: 

Therefore, sorghum leaf rollers can cause significant damage to sorghum crops if not managed properly. By following the above-mentioned integrated strategies, you can prevent the sorghum leaf roller from rolling over your crops.