Mating disruption technology: a green solution for control of rice yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in rice IPM

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This study evaluated a wax-based Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology (SPLAT) module for sustainable management of rice yellow stem borer (YSB), Scirpophaga incertulas, in the semi-arid agro-ecosystem of northern Karnataka. A two-season field trial (Kharif and Rabi 2018–19) was conducted at Raichur in a randomized complete block design with five replications and four treatments: existing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (T1), refined SPLAT-IPM (T2), conventional farmer practice (T3) and untreated control (T4). T2 comprised a single transplanting-day SPLAT-YSB application (10 mg per dollop; 400 source points acre−1) with no reapplication. T2 achieved the lowest dead heart and white ear incidence across both seasons, representing over 80% reduction relative to the untreated control (p < 0.05). Spider and coccinellid populations under T2 remained comparable to the untreated control, whereas T3 severely depleted natural enemies. T2 also recorded the highest grain yield (∼31% above T4), with a benefit–cost ratio of ∼4.5–4.8:1. A single-application, wax-based SPLAT-YSB module thus offers a pesticide-minimizing, economically viable and ecologically compatible solution for YSB management, suitable for area-wide deployment in comparable rice agro-ecosystems.