White grub management in sugarcane with Killoryx+

White grubs are the larval stage of beetles such as Holotrichia species: soft-bodied, C-shaped grubs that live just below the soil surface, especially during the monsoon. In sugarcane, they feed directly on the root system, causing wilting and yellowing of leaves, stunted growth, weak roots, and drying or lodging of canes. Left untreated, the damage can be serious.

Because the grubs live and feed underground, sprays and dusts applied above the soil rarely reach them in any useful concentration. That is what makes this a soil-biology problem, not a spraying problem.

How Killoryx+ works: a four-step biological cycle

Killoryx+ (the upgraded version of Killoryx) is built around entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs): microscopic beneficial worms that hunt insect larvae in the soil rather than relying on surface contact.

1. Seek and find. In moist soil, the nematodes actively move to locate white grubs and other insect larvae.
2. Enter and infect. They enter the grub’s body through natural openings, the mouth or the spiracles.
3. Release bacteria. Once inside, they release a symbiotic bacterium that kills the host within 24–48 hours.
4. Reproduce and move on. The nematodes reproduce inside the dead pest, then disperse to find the next host.

That cycle repeats on its own as long as host larvae are present in the soil. It is not a one-time kill, it is ongoing underground protection.

Why it fits an organic or IPM programme

Killoryx+ is made by Green Care Agro with technology licensed by ICAR-NBAIR, leaves no chemical pesticide residue, and, because it is a living biological control agent rather than a chemical mode of action, does not build the resistance problems repeated chemical spraying does. It targets soil-dwelling pests directly, which is exactly the gap sprays leave open.

How to apply it in a sugarcane field

Soil moisture matters more than anything else for this product. Nematodes move through moisture, not dry soil, so time applications for early morning or evening and avoid peak sunlight.

The dose is the same for both methods: 250 g in 200 litres of water, which covers 1 acre. Soak the 250 g in water for 4 hours before mixing, and apply in the evening.

Drip irrigation. Mix into the irrigation water and run it through the drip line.

Spray. Mix into the spray tank and apply on the plant and the soil around it.

Getting it for your field

Killoryx+ is manufactured by Green Care Agro and comes in a 250 g can. See the dosage and pack size on the product page, or get in touch if you would rather talk dosage and timing through with someone directly. Dealer and bulk enquiries are welcome.