The adult beetle bores into the unopened fronds and spathes.
The attacked frond when fully opened shows characteristic triangular cuts.
Management
Provide field sanitation to prevent breeding of beetles.
Hook out the beetles from the attacked palms by using beetle hook
Application of 250 g neem cake or marotti (Hydnocarpus wightina) cake mixed with equal volume of sand in the innermost 2-3 leaf axils. This treatment is to be done twice, ie., during April-May before the onset of south-west monsoon and during September-October after the south-west monsoon.
Naphthalene balls 12.0 g (approx. 4 nos.) in the innermost 2 leaf axils and covered with fine sand, once in 45 days.
Incorporation of Clerodendrum infortunatum @10 per cent w/w basis in the cowdung pits or manure pits
Release Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus infected adults @ 10-15 ha to bring down the pest population.
Inoculation of breeding sites with entomo- pathogenic fungus Metarhizium majus (@ 5 x 10" spores/m³) causes mortality to the grubs
