Sugar Cane Pests’ Outbreak in Chonburi Province, Thailand: Impacts and Control

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to examine the history and impacts of sugarcane pest outbreaks in Bor Thong District, Chonburi Province, from 1997 to 2007, 2) to study causes of the outbreaks, 3) to investigate pest control methods sugarcane farmers used and factors influencing the selection of the methods, and 4) to propose suitable alternatives for controlling sugarcane pests in the future. The study focused on three kinds of pests: sugarcane borers, stem boring grubs and sugarcane aphids. This qualitative and quantitative investigation used both primary data from field study and secondary data from relevant printed and online documents. The sample group was randomly selected from 25% of the entire population of the district, yielding 243 samples. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were utilized to collect the data. The triangulation method was employed to verify the data from 20 key informants and relevant documents. Both statistics and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.
The study findings reveal that, during the period of the outbreaks, the most prevalent pest was sugarcane borers (46%), followed by stem boring grubs (32%) and sugarcane aphids (22%) respectively. When a comparison on the correlation between cane production and commercial cane sugar (CCS) resulting from damage caused by sugarcane borers, stem boring grubs and sugarcane aphids is made, it is found that the outbreaks did not have much impact on cane production. However, the outbreaks of stem boring grubs had strongest impact on CCS. Severe outbreaks occurred between 1999 and 2003. A major cause of the outbreaks was local climate change, notably drought. Farmers used different control methods to deal with the three pests. Trichograma confusum and Proreus simulans were released into affected plantations to control sugarcane borers, whereas tillage was used to control stem boring grubs. To control sugarcane aphids, more pest-resistant sugarcane breeds were used for cultivation. The factors influencing the selection of pest control methods included health safety, efficiency of pest control and low cost. Suitable pest control methods required by farmers should be easy to put into practice, safe to health and friendly to the environment, low cost, support-oriented from concerned state agencies, and preventive of the recurrence of sugarcane pest outbreaks.