Termites
The underground pest with no visible insect on the crop — scattered plants simply wilt and die as the roots and stem base are eaten away.
- Pest type
- Soil social insect
- Attacks
- Roots, underground stem, setts
- Worst in
- Light soils, dry spells
- Main risk
- Hidden below-ground kill
Overview
Termites are pale, soft, social insects that live in colonies in the soil and feed on cellulose — dead plant matter, but also living roots, the underground stem and the base of standing crops. Because they work below ground, the first sign is usually plants that wilt, yellow and dry in scattered patches, with no visible pest on the leaves.
They are worst on light, sandy soils, in dry spells (moist soil discourages them), and where raw, undecomposed crop residue or unrotted farmyard manure gives them a food bridge into the crop. Wheat, barley, sugarcane and groundnut on such soils are the classic sufferers, and in sugarcane termites also hollow out the setts and standing canes.
How to identify it
- Scattered plants that wilt, yellow and dry while neighbours stay green — and pull out easily because the roots and stem base are eaten.
- Hollowed roots and stem bases packed with soil, and thin soil "sheeting" or runways plastered over the stem or on the ground.
- Pale, soft, whitish workers in the soil around the roots when you dig up an affected plant.
- In sugarcane, poor germination from hollowed setts and dead central shoots.
The damage it does
- Death of scattered plants at any stage as the roots and underground stem are eaten, thinning the stand.
- Poor germination and gaps where seed or setts are attacked before establishment.
- Hollowed, weakened stems that lodge, and quality loss in sugarcane canes.
- Damage concentrated in dry patches and on field margins near residue or old stumps.
When to act
- Watch light-soil fields and dry spells especially, and inspect wilting-plant patches by digging to confirm termites rather than a root disease.
- Preventive action at sowing (seed treatment) is far more effective than trying to rescue a crop already under attack.
- Manage the residue and moisture that invite termites before the season, not after damage appears.
Organic & cultural control
- Fully decompose farmyard manure before applying it and remove or thoroughly incorporate raw crop residue and old stumps — undecomposed matter is the main lure.
- Keep the soil adequately moist; a well-irrigated field discourages termites far more than a dry one.
- Flood irrigation of a badly infested patch, and destroying nearby termite mounds/queens, reduces pressure.
- Apply Metarhizium anisopliae (an entomopathogenic fungus) to the soil where available as a biological suppressant.
Chemical control
- A seed treatment with a registered insecticide is the standard, most economical protection for wheat, barley and groundnut on termite-prone soils.
- CIB&RC-registered soil/seed treatments (e.g. chlorpyriphos, fipronil or imidacloprid formulations, as registered for the crop) protect the establishing crop; apply strictly per the label.
- For a standing crop, a registered insecticide applied with irrigation water down to the root zone is the usual rescue where seed treatment was missed.
- Confirm the current recommendation and dose for your crop and zone with your local KVK before use.
Crops most at risk
Where this problem is called out in our crop guides — open a crop for the full package of practices.
Frequently asked questions
Scattered plants in my field wilt and die but I see no insect. What could it be?
Scattered wilting and dying plants that pull out easily, with hollowed roots and stem bases, usually mean termites working below ground — there is no insect on the leaves because they feed on the roots and underground stem. Dig up an affected plant and you will find pale soft workers in the soil. Seed treatment prevents it; managing residue and moisture reduces it.
Why are termites worse in some fields than others?
Termites favour light, sandy soils, dry conditions, and fields with raw undecomposed crop residue or unrotted farmyard manure, which feed the colony and bridge it into the crop. Well-irrigated fields with fully decomposed manure and cleared residue suffer far less. Field margins near old stumps and mounds are the usual hotspots.
How do I protect the crop from termites?
The most effective step is a registered seed treatment at sowing on termite-prone soils, combined with cultural steps: fully decompose manure, incorporate or remove raw residue and old stumps, and keep the soil adequately moist. For a standing crop already attacked, a registered insecticide run in with irrigation water reaches the root zone — check the current recommendation with your KVK.
Symptoms and control measures follow ICAR, KVK and state agricultural-university package-of-practices; any named chemical is a registered use. Always read the product label and confirm the dose for your crop and zone. editorial policy.