Implementation of National Education Policy-2020 (Multidisciplinary Education) | Published by: Advent Publishing (https://adventpublishing.in) | ISBN: 978-93-95369-26-8 February, 2023 Page 280 Life Cycle and Approach for Management of White Grub Holotrichia Species in Sugarcane 1 Bhausaheb Kolkar * , 2 Mayur Chavan, 3 Yogesh Thorat, 5 Vinod Narayane and 5 Yuvraj Kharde 1 Departmentof Zoology, B. K. Birla College of Arts, Science and Commerce (Autonomous), Kalyan, Mumbai, India. 2 Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India. 3 Division of Crop Protection (Biological Control Center, Pravaranagar), Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research. 4 Departmentof Zoology, B. K. Birla college of Arts, Science and Commerce (Autonomous), Kalyan, Mumbai, India. 5 Department of Zoology, Padmshri Vikhe Patil College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Pravaranagar, Loni KD, India. Introduction: India is an agricultural country and various crops are produced in this country. Among them, sugarcane is the main cash crop and 18 percent of the total area of the country under sugarcane is in Maharashtra. Maharashtra is the leader in sugar production, last year sugarcane was cultivated on 11 lakh hectares in the state. Sugarcane productivity has stabilized at 80 to 85 tons per acre in Maharashtra since last few years. Among the many reasons for the decline in sugarcane production, the infestation of sugarcane insects is one of the main reasons. Holotrachia speciesinfestation on sugarcane is a major problem faced by sugarcane producing regions. Holotrachia speciescommonly known as White grubs, because the infestation level of this pest is its larval stage and it is vigurs feed on roots of the crop. It is sickle shape whitish or pale-yellow larva so that it is called as white grub. Few years ago, White Grub was confined to Kolhapur, Sangli districts but now a days, due to changing climate White Grub is causing huge damage in all parts of Maharashtra. It has been pointed out that due to insufficient and unbalanced monsoon, monotonous cultivation of sugarcane, low and uncertain use of biological agents, excessive use of chemical pesticides, destruction of friendly insects and parasitic insects etc. Sugarcane farmers depend on chemical pesticides without paying attention to the life cycle of this pest. But there is not much success in controlling the White Grub pest. The financial cost of pesticides increases and the environment is also damaged. For this, it is necessary to study the life cycle of White Grub and implement its control measures accordingly. There are four major stages of White Grub insect, eggs, larvae and pupae are in the soil while the adult beetles (male and female) emerge from the soil after 7:25 pm and on the trees on the farm embankment mainly in Azadirachtaindica(कडू ननिब), Acacianilotica (बाभूळ), Ziziphusjujuba(बोर), Elettariacardamomum (िे लची),Tamarindusindica(रचिच), Vachellianilotica (रामकाठी), Meliaazedarach (बकान), Acacia catechu (खैर), they eat the young leaves of these trees like Moringa and Sandalwood. Male and female beetles mate on this tree and the female beetle usually lays 50 to 60 eggs in the soil. After 15 to 18 days, the first instar emerges from this egg and it feeds on the organic matter of the soil for a few days. The second and third instars attack