Nature of damage:
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Nymph are mostly congregated at both sided of midribs on the lower surface of leaves.
Lower surface of the leaf is completely covered during severe incidence.
Nymph and adults take shelter at the joint of leaf sheath and internodal region but never suck the cell sap. They are also noticed in the whorl and suck the cell sap.
Nymphs and adults suck the cell sap from under surface of leaves along the midrib.
As a result of sap sucking, the white yellowish spots were served on the leaves on the leaves and they become brittle, edges dry.
Excessive infestation causes stunted growth and gradually complete drying of leaves is noticed.
The ground of the entire looks white and covered with the powdery coating of fallen wax coatings of the aphids.
Activity of bees, wasps and ants is high due to availability of honey dew.
Severe infestation results in stunted growth, drying up of leaves and ultimately reduction in yield.
Young shoots are killed. 26 % loss in sugarcane yield and 24% in sugar content. Over and above the losses in yield and quality, there is a loss of fodder value of the crop, as it is believed that when cattle are fed the infested leaves it leads to dysentery.