Effect of silicon and nitrogen on Diatraea tabernella dyar in sugarcane in Panama

The main pest of sugarcane in Panama is the stem borer, Diatraea tabernella Dyar (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) which can cause significant losses in cane biomass and sugar. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of two silicon- and nitrogen-based products applied at two rates on borer infestation. To compare the effect of these two amendments, a completely randomized block design was established comprising four treatments with four replicates. This experiment included 16 sampling units of 32 m2 each. Measurements of borer damage, agronomic parameters, sugar content and for silicon, the content in stalk material were conducted to evaluate the impact of different silicon and nitrogen treatments applied in the field. The use of silicon-based products reduced internodes borer (% IB) by up to 50%, confirming the role of silicon in damage reduction. The use of high doses of nitrogen doses resulted in an increase in the damage level from 5.2% (control plots with 110 kg N/ha) to 6.9% IB (treatment with the highest dose of 210 kg N/ha)