The Cane Weevil Borer (CWB) is a significant pest affecting sugarcane in Fiji’s sugarcane-growing regions. The larvae of the CWB burrow into the sugarcane stalks, which contain the juice used for sugar production.
Geetha Nandagopal, head of the crop protection department at the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF), emphasized that no sugarcane variety is resistant to the borer. She also heads the Crop Protection department in the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme.
Nandagopal explained that CWB infestations make sugarcane more susceptible to wilting, particularly in times of moisture stress, which can ultimately lead to the plants’ death. She highlighted that the presence of CWB is a serious issue for sugarcane farmers, as damage worsens in lodged canes, causing them to break during severe weather.
“The impact of CWB infestations goes beyond physical damage,” she noted. Research indicates that these infestations can lead to a roughly 10 percent decrease in yields and a troubling 2 percent drop in quality.
Nandagopal also pointed out that drought conditions amplify the relationship between wilting and CWB, making it even more critical for growers to continually adapt their management practices to combat the pest’s effects.