Stem Borer

Symptom

Only in the region where rice is planted continuously, it is often severely damaged. Feeding inside the stem by the caterpillars results in "dead heart" and "white head". When they attack occurs during the vegetative phase, the central leaf does not unfold, turns brownish, and dries off. This symptom is known as "dead heart" and affected  tillers dry off without bearing panicles. After panicle initiation, they may not come out at all, and those that have already come out do not produce grains, and dry off. Being empty the panicles remain erect and are whitish, hence to symptoms "white heads". Sprays targeting the peak periods for moth and egg deposition are more effective than sprays after damage symptoms have appeared.