ICAR trains State agriculture officials to tackle Fall Armyworm
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 11 2019: With the report of Fall Armyworm detection in almost all districts, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Manipur Centre has step up its effort to tackle the invasive worm from further destroying crops in the State.

Emphasising the need to educate and train the State Agriculture officials on Fall Armyworm, ICAR has conducted a one day officers training programme on "Fall Armyworm management" in the presence of Lalanpuii Vanchhong, Director, Directorate of Agriculture, Govt of Manipur, Dr K Mamocha Singh, Registrar, CAU, Imphal and Dr I Meghachandra Singh, Joint Director, ICAR Manipur Centre, Imphal, said a statement of ICAR Saturday.

The training programme was jointly organized by ICAR Manipur Centre, Imphal and ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, Punjab and Directorate of Agriculture Govt of Manipur under collaborative project 'Promoting Improved Technology of Maize Production in NEH Region, said the statement.

Lalanpuii Vanchhong, Director, Directorate of Agriculture, informed that in the backdrop of the recent discovery and detection of Fall Armyworm in Manipur, a Joint Action Committee comprising of various officials of different departments has conducted survey.

The training was a result of the recommendation of the committee, said the Director.

In the technical session experts Dr Arati Ningombam, Dr Romila Akoijam Scientists from ICAR, Prof K Mamocha Singh, Registrar CAU and Dr O Tarunkumar Singh, Dy Director, CIPMC, Manipur gave training to 60 district level State officials.

ICAR, Manipur Centre was given the task of providing technical expertise and guidance to train the State Government officials as the pest is new to the country.

The State Government officials were given training on how to identify this new pest from both the caterpillar and adult stage.

Live insects were shown to the State trainees for easy learning, said ICAR.

Training was given on how to monitor, how to scout for the insect in different crop stages- early to middle whorl stage, middle to late whorl stage, and late whorl to tasselling and post-tasselling stage.

The different management strategies to be taken up starting from cultural, mechanical, biocontrol and biopesticides and lastly chemical measures were discussed in detail.

Location specific management strategies were also discussed, said ICAR.

Demonstration on seed treatment, whorl application using knapsack sprayer and use of pheromone traps were also done in the maize standing crop of the ICAR research farm.

Field demonstrations on spray and seed treatment were also included as part of the training, added ICAR.

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