Latest African and Fall Armyworm Forecast from ETOP – 6th Dec 2017
SYNOPSIS:
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW) FAW was reported in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique during November. Control is being undertaken by the affected farmers with material assistance from the Ministries of Agriculture.
African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW) No reports were received on AAW during November.
CURRENT SITUATION:
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW):
FAW was reported attacking cereal crops in several areas in Kenya, in Kagera and Lindi regions in Tanzania and in Balaka district in Machinga Agricultural Development Division (ADD) and Chiradzulu district in Blantyre ADD in Malawi.
The pest was also detected causing damage to maize in Sofala province in Mozambique. Control operations are carried out by the affected farmers with material and technical assistance from the Ministries of Agriculture. The pest is being monitored by the national Plant Protection Services (IRLCO-CSA). Elsewhere, SFR outbreaks are likely causing damage to irrigated or rain-fed maize and other cereal crops, but updates were not available at the time this report was compiled.
African Armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW):
There were no reports of AAW during November.
FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 6 WEEKS:
FAW: FAW will remain a threat to irrigated or rain-fed maize and other crops across Africa during the forecast period.
Active monitoring, surveillance, routine pheromone trap inspection and crop scouting as well as information sharing and reporting remain critical to help implement preventive interventions to abate any major damage the pest could cause to crops.
AAW: AAW breeding is expected to have begun appearing in the southern outbreak region at the foot hills of the seasonal rains. Vigilance and timely preventive interventions remain critical to avoid crop damage.
Trap operators for AAW [and FAW as applicable] are advised to actively monitor their traps. Trap monitoring must be accompanied by routine crop scouting to detect egg and larval presence. Egg and larval detections must be reported instantly to facilitate timely preventive control interventions. Moth catches must be reported to forecasting officers and concerned staff and authorities to facilitate rapid interventions (IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/AELGA).
CREDIT:
This forecast comes from and uses material provided by DLCO-EA, IRLCO-CSA and OFDA/AELGA. It was originally issued by USAID’s Emergency Transboundary Outbreak Pest (ETOP) programme and is summarised here by the Armyworm Network (@spodoptera007) hosted by Lancaster University.
