The Cane Weevil Borer (CWB) is a significant pest affecting sugarcane in Fiji’s sugarcane-producing regions. The larvae of the CWB feed on the inner part of the sugarcane stalk, where the juice that is processed into sugar is located.
Geetha Nandagopal, head of the Crop Protection department at the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF), emphasized that no sugarcane variety has shown immunity to this pest. She is also head of the Crop Protection department under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme.
Nandagopal pointed out that CWB infestations make sugarcane more susceptible to wilting, particularly during periods of low moisture, and can ultimately lead to the death of the plants. The effects of CWB infestations are a serious worry for sugarcane farmers, as the damage is worsened in canes that have already fallen, compromising their structural integrity and increasing the risk of breakage in strong winds.
“Beyond the physical damage, the implications of CWB attacks are significant,” she noted. According to research, CWB infestations could result in a yield reduction of approximately 10 percent and a decline in quality by about 2 percent. Alarmingly, Nandagopal reiterated that no sugarcane variety has proven resistant to the CWB, forcing growers to constantly adapt their management practices to lessen the impact of this pest.
She added that the link between wilting and CWB infestations becomes more pronounced during drought conditions.