Silicon Retention in Soil and Sugarcane Cultivar and Its Impact on Stalk Borer ( Chilo Auricilius Dudgeon), Yield and Quality Indices in Northwest India

Sugarcane is a long duration important cash crop in India which is harvest after 10–18 months. Amongst various biotic and abiotic stressors affecting sugarcane, sugarcane stalk borer Chilo auricilius causes huge economic losses in yield and quality parameters. No synthetic chemical is effective against stalk borer due to its internally feeder habitat. Therefore, one ecologically sound best management practice in sugarcane is application of silicon to mitigate against stalk borer. Various sources of silicon viz. T1, T2, T3 and T4 were of silicon material (SM) 50