CAU VC stresses on timely action to control fall armyworm
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 12 2020: Central Agricultural University (CAU) Vice-Chancellor Prof M Premjit has warned that the State's agricultural productivity would be severely affected if the outbreak of fall armyworm is not contained in time.

Speaking to media persons at his Lamphelpat office, Dr Premjit recalled that many maize cultivations were invaded by fall armyworm in the State in May last year.

Again, the pest has started invading maize cultivations in Bishnupur, Chandel, Churachandpur, Imphal East, Kakching and Ukhrul districts.

"Around 100 hectares of maize cultivation are covered by CAU and our scientists have examined the way fall armyworm attacks maize plants", Dr Premjit said.

Adult fall armyworms can fly as much as 100 Kms in a night.

Maize plants are more vulnerable to fall armyworm.

As it spreads very fast, fall armyworm often turns out to be highly devastating once its starts attacking plants/crops, said the CAU VC.

Talking about some easy methods of protecting plants/crops from fall armyworm, the VC said that tilling fields a little deeper would be beneficial as it would destroy larvae/eggs.

Inter-cropping of maize with pigeon pea (mairongbi), black gram (sagolhawai) and small yellow lentils (moong dal) can reduce of chances of infection by fall armyworm, Prof Premjit said.

Sprinkling ash or sand or 5 to 10 gms of earth on the shoots of young maize plants can also reduce infection by fall armyworm, he continued.

Maize farmers may also erect 25 bamboo branches at a distance of 10 metres over a field of one Pari.

This would facilitate birds to come to the maize fields and eat worms/pests.

But this method should not be adopted at the time when maize plants start flowering, he said.

Prof Premjit said that laying pheromone traps is another method for controlling fall armyworm.

He said that five pheromone traps may be laid in a maize field of one acre.

If maize cultivations are attacked by fall armyworm when the maize plants are very young, Multineem, the pesticide manufactured from Neem plants may be sprayed over the maize plants.

50 ml of Multineem should be diluted in 15 litres of water before spraying, he explained.

If maize plants are fully grown when they are attacked by fall armyworm, Emmamectin Benzoate may be sprayed over the plants after diluting 5 gm in 15 litres of water.

In place of Emmamectin Benzoate, farmers may use Spinosod after diluting 4 ml in 15 litres of water, Prof Premjit said.

He informed that a training programme would be held on May 14 where farmers would be detail information about fall armyworm and its containment measures.

Around 50 farmers are expected to attend the training programme where social distancing norms would be strictly followed and pesticides would be provided free of cost to participants, added the VC .

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