Army worm infestation on maize warning

[zanau]

Always visit your maize farm at least once a week.
Be on the look out for signs of attack as from week 2.
Take repeated action until you are sure they have disappeared.
Or else
when you visit after 3 weeks, you will be crying.

[Yunan]

Always visit your maize farm at least once a week.
Be on the look out for signs of attack as from week 2.
Take repeated action until you are sure they have disappeared.
Or else
when you visit after 3 weeks, you will be crying.

Thanks for the warning. Come to think of it I am suspicious of some of my maize plants. A few leaves look as though they have been eaten through. I didn't think much of it. I will be there on Monday and post some pics.

[zanau]

Thanks Yuan, army worm is very devastating and you need to closely monitor your maize to take speedy action of else the losses will be much.

[Yunan]

Always visit your maize farm at least once a week.
Be on the look out for signs of attack as from week 2.
Take repeated action until you are sure they have disappeared.
Or else
when you visit after 3 weeks, you will be crying.

Thanks for the warning. Come to think of it I am suspicious of some of my maize plants. A few leaves look as though they have been eaten through. I didn't think much of it. I will be there on Monday and post some pics.

Checked back the farm. I don't think it's worms. Thank God. But as you suggested, vigilance is key.

[Achi]

See what I found with an army worm invasion of a farm on a recent trip to Taraba. It's not a pretty sight.

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[bonama]

For organic and small farmers, this might help.

Armyworm Control

If you don’t suffer army worm outbreaks, thank its natural predators, including birds, beneficial insects, and other larvae predators. If pest numbers are high, it suggests these natural predators have been done in by the very pesticides applied to kill the army worms. The absence of predators gives the re-generating pest a decided edge in your garden. So, to manage armyworms…

Avoid using harmful pesticides or practices that would inadvertently destroy beneficial insects, your first line of natural defense.

Use pheromone traps to monitor the arrival of moths. When you first notice them — look for the distinctive white dot on their forewings — it’s time to start closer inspection of your plants.

Look for larvae and signs of damage beginning in early spring. Caterpillars will often be found feeding on the undersides of leaves and on new growth. Handpick the worms you discover and don’t be tempted to crush them between your thumbs. Instead drop them in a bucket of soapy water.

Release trichogramma wasps to parasitize any newly laid eggs. These tiny beneficial insects — 1mm or less — insert their eggs inside of pest eggs, killing them before they enter the plant-eating larval stage.

Other beneficial insects, such as lacewing, ladybugs and minute pirate bugs feed on armyworm eggs as well as the young larval stage. Remember: beneficial insects help control other harmful pests, including aphids, earworms, cutworms, cabbage loopers, a variety of mite and insect eggs.

Plant to attract birds and beneficial insects. Birds are especially fond of the moths and will pull larvae from lawns and plants. In the fall, uncover and turn your soil before putting it to bed, giving birds a chance to pick off the exposed pupae.

If you’ve had an infestation or are otherwise worried that conditions, including a cool, wet spring, will encourage the worms, release beneficial nematodes into your soil. These microscopic soil creatures feed on the eggs, pupae, and larvae of some 200 pests. They will not harm vertebrates, whether human or amphibians, will not harm plants, honey bees or earthworms and won’t threaten beneficial insects who, like the trichogramma wasp, lay eggs in something, not just anywhere in the dirt. Yet beneficial nematodes are murder on army worm eggs and pupae found in the soil.
Applications of Garden Dust (Bt-kurstaki) or OMRI-listed Monterey Garden Insect Spray (spinosad) will kill caterpillars.

After the season has advanced, natural horticultural oil sprays can be used on plants showing signs of worm infestations. Multi-purpose neem oil spray is effective on various stages of the larvae as well as mites. It also prevents fungus growth. Complete coverage, including undersides of leaves and junctions with stems, is critical.

Use fast-acting organic insecticides if pest levels become intolerable.

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-prob ... m-control/

[Yunan]

It looks like army worms are a serious problem.

Importation, army worms decide future of maize farmers

Few weeks ago in Kebbi State, there was dramatic accusation and denial between Senator Adamu Aliero and Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State on the one hand and ministers of agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Finance, Kemi Adeosun on other about importation of over 300 metric tonnes of maize.

While both the ministers of Agriculture and finance denied having hands in the importation saga, the Nigerian customs however admitted that there has been increased importation of maize into the country in the last few months.

Kabiru Salihu, Chairman Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter told Daily Trust that the act will reverse the huge gains recorded in the last few years of this administration and will make it difficult for those who invested massively in the production of the crop make gains.

The situation, farmers argued will not only crash the prices of maize but will also dampen the morale of farmers to invest in the production of the grain.

Currently Nigeria produces maize in an estimated 700,000 hectares which gives 10.5 million metric tonnes even though it falls short of the domestic demand of 15 million metric tonnes.

With more government input support, the country could produce about 20 million tonnes in 2018 using best agronomy practices.

Beside the danger of importation, armyworms in the last two years have been ravages farms across the country with some defying solutions.

Although minister of agriculture chief Audu Ogbeh said that government have spent over N2 billion to contain the disease, some farmers fear harvest will be low in places with severe attacks.

From Benue state, our correspondent said farmers are expecting poor yield from their farms because of the worms attack that wreaked havoc in the state this farming season.

Farmers in the state first experienced poor harvest in October last year due to the destructive activities of the bug, which experts confirmed migrated into the country.

The situation was said to have been better in some parts of Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Kaduna states and the FCT, where the infestations of the worms were reported early.

The maize farms in some of these states were said to have been saved after the application of some chemicals by the farmers and heavy rains.

But the situation is different in Benue State as the worms reportedly defied all solutions.

The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) had last year confirmed 100 percent infestation of the foreign pest known as army worms all over farms in the three senatorial districts of the state.

The Head of the NAQS delegation on investigation to the state, Acting Director, John Ogbaje, while briefing the Commissioner for Agriculture, James Anbua, on his team’s findings in Makurdi, said that maize farms visited were suspected to have been infested with foreign pests, therefore, timely measures including use of chemicals were to be taken to avert crisis in the 2017 season.

Sadly, those recommended measures against the pests seemed not to have nipped the challenge in the bud as it appeared the chemicals didn’t work at all or the idea was not appropriately passed down to the farmers for proper application.

Some of the farmers who spoke to Daily Trust said efforts by the state Ministry of Agriculture and the quarantine service were not enough and as such did not yield desirable result.

One of the farmers, Akor Kusugh, who lives in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state, said he cultivated one hectare of maize farm which had been ravaged by army worms despite the fact that he applied organic chemical as directed by the ministry.

Kusugh said: “I did exactly what I was asked to do with the chemicals obtained from the agriculture ministry yet my maize farm was ravaged by the foreign worms.

In the same vein, Madam Grace Enokela, who cultivated a sizeable maize garden in Makurdi metropolis disclosed that she followed all the advice given to her by the agricultural experts and also sprayed her plants at regular intervals of 10-day at between 6pm and 7pm but did not achieved fruitful result.

Also, Terkimbi Utaver, a farmer in Kwande area who cultivated about three hectares of maize farm but is yet to harvest, said that his crops were heavily infested by army worms, stressing that, “I didn’t know the actual herbicide that could kill the army worm. Ordinarily, by the size of my farm I should be expecting 60 bags but the output is not good. I pray to harvest at least 20 bags.”

For, the State Secretary of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Aondongu Saaku, whose two hectares of maize farm was excessively ravaged by the army worms, the reason why the pest defied solutions could be multiple as over 600 registered farmers in the state are under threat of the worms.

“The kind of maize varieties we were using before were highly susceptible to the attacks. It was just recently that they started bringing in some varieties that are partially resistant to army worms. Again, the farmers do not know how to spray their maize plants against the army worms.

“These worms come out in the evenings and so spraying is better done between 6 pm and 7 pm when they are on the surface of the plants and it is supposed to be sprayed right into the plants. But the farmers just spayed their farms as if they were after flies,” he said.

Saaku also said that all the chemicals used now are on trial and error basis, adding that none of them was specifically designed for army worms.

“I personally cultivated two hectares of maize. When the worms came, those watching the farm for me, did not know how to manage it and before I knew what was happening, the worms have destroyed my maize farm. From the two hectares, I couldn’t get even a single bag. Before now, I would have gotten more than 40 bags. It is really a terrible outbreak,” Saaku lamented.

“For now, maize goes for as much as between N22,000 and N25,000 per bag. So if I have lost 40 bags, you can imagine the loss when multiply by the current selling price at the market. And I know people who cultivated more than me, my coordinator at Otukpo, Och’Otukpo, Chief John Eimonye, lost over 10 hectares to these army worms. He didn’t get anything.

Bumper harvest expected in Kano

However the situation in Kano state is different as farmers are currently expecting bumper harvest this rainy season as all indicators have shown that, the newly farming technology that includes the choice of improved seeds, new fertilizer application method, and new planting methodology among other innovations introduced by Sasakawa Global 2000 Nigeria project has started to show signs of positive results.

Our correspondent, who visited Dogon Kawo village in Tudun Wada local government- an area popular in maize production, revealed that a lot of farmers have adopted the newly introduced farming technology after experiencing what such technology entails with assistance from the Sasakawa project.

A maize farmer Malam Abdullahi Kawu in Dogon Kawo, said the positive result of the project was what made him and other farmers in the area accept it.

“As you can see, this is the farm I have been planting maize for years; but this year all indications have shown that what I am going to get will double that of last year. I got 20 bags last year and I am expecting nothing less than 45 bags this year. The good aspect of it all is that, we were not left alone all through the processes as every inch along the way there is an extension agent to guide us,” said Malam Kawu.

On her part, Malama Amina Meha of Gidan Bawa village in Tudun Wada, the new technology has opened their eyes to a simpler way of producing qualitative maize in high quantity in the same space they were using before.

She added that, she is expecting to harvest about 50 bags of maize in an area that she used to produce about 10 bags.

“We never knew that such advantageous techniques existed until Sasakawa brought it to our doorstep. We have seen how it works in their demonstration plots; that is why we have no reservation in adopting it. I now expect to harvest 50 bags instead of the usual ten bags I used to harvest in the same area of farm. With this development, perhaps Kano state will take the lead as the highest maize producer in Africa if all maize farmers in the state adopted the innovation as we did,” narrated Malama Amina.

Similarly, communities like Cidare and Landi all in Tudun Wada have all adopted the new innovation, farmers in the area revealed that, they are optimistic that the new technology will indeed create a positive revolution in maize farming in Kano state in particular and in the nation as a whole.

According to Sasakawa’s Kano state coordinator Malam Kasim Sufiyanu, the project is aimed at increasing the yield of maize in areas identified as maize producing zones adding that what the project did was to introduce to maize farmers the new technology in fertilizer application as against the traditional way the farmers were used to and also to introduce the use of seeds that are tolerant to striga with a high yield ability.

“What we did is to assist the maize farmers to apply the new method that ensures increase in quantity of produce and allow them to make a choice of adopting it or not based on what they have seen and experienced. Gladly, all the farmers have resolved to adopt the new technology and we have assigned an extension worker to guide them all through,” said Malam Sufiyanu.

For many farmers, until government looks into importation and armyworm issues holistically, the Buhari’s Administration target of producing 20 million metric tonnes by 2018 may not be achieved.

[MustyJ]

And now a warning on how destructive these worms have become. It's not good news

Africa faces $2bn maize deficit if Fall Armyworm is not managed

Major maize producing economies in Africa might be losing a total of $2.2bn to $5.5bn a year in maize harvests – if the Fall Armyworm (FAW), which has been reported in 28 African countries, is not properly managed. In research carried out by Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) and funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), it was revealed that the pest, which arrived the continent in 2016, is now presenting a permanent agricultural challenge.

FAW feeds on more than 80 crops, but prefers maize and can cut yields by up to 60 per cent. Speaking at a side event at the on going Africa Green Revolution Forum in Abidjan, Dr Roger Day, CABI’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Coordinator, said “As countries turn to pesticides to reduce the damage, farmers face the risk of the pest developing resistance to treatment, which has become a widespread problem in the Americas. Biopesticides are a lower risk control option, but few of the biopesticides used in the Americas are yet approved for use in Africa, raising the need for urgent local trials, registration and the development of local production. “Maize can recover from some damage to the leaves. So when farmers see damaged leaves, it doesn’t necessarily mean they need to control. Research is urgently needed, and a huge awareness and education effort is required so that farmers monitor their fields, and can make decisions on whether and how to control. “There are natural ways farmers can reduce impact, including squashing the eggs or caterpillars when they see them, and maintaining crop diversity in the farm, which encourages natural predators.” CABI has also warned of the need to address the human health issues raised by any far more extensive use of chemical pesticides. “Resource poor farmers are often unwilling or unable to buy the appropriate safety equipment and in some cases they use pesticides without appropriate application equipment. Farmers may also be disinclined to use safety equipment when hot weather makes it extremely uncomfortable. Recognizing that farmers will still want to use pesticides, specific measures are needed to make lower risk biopesticides more accessible,” said Dr Day. Agricultural researchers are also now working to identify a natural biological control agent, such as a parasitic wasp that lays its eggs inside the FAW eggs. In time, this may provide the most sustainable solution to Africa’s newest pest infestation, said Dr Day. Also speaking at the event, Dr Joseph DeVries, Vice President – Program Development and Innovation at Alliance For a Green Revolution in Africa(AGRA), said “Enabling our agricultural communities with quick and coordinated responses is now essential, to ensure the continent stays ahead of the plague. Josefa Leonel Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commssion, said the commssion is relying on the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in preparing an action plan on how to attack the pest . She said as a policy body that they will use their platform to disseminate whatever they gathered from the FAO in the fight against armyworm on the continent. Sacko added that the commission is planing side meetings for Minsters of Agriculture, Science and Environment as well as Head of Governments on the need to have fund set aside for the fight of the pest .



Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/afr ... y-managed/