Latest African and Fall Armyworm Forecast from ETOP – 7th Oct 2017
SYNOPSIS:
African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW) No reports were received on AAW during October. The pest will likely begin appearing in the southern outbreak region during the forecast period.
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW) FAW outbreaks were reported in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe during October. No updates were received from other countries, but it is likely that the pest is causing a problem to maize and other crops.
CURRENT SITUATION:
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW):
FAW infestations were reported in irrigated and/or rain-fed maize crops in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe during October.
In Tanzania, the pest was reported attacking irrigated maize crops in Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Manyara, Mbeya, Iringa and Rukwa regions.
In Ethiopia, low numbers of FAW larvae were reported in irrigated maize crops in the southern, central and northern parts of the country. A late-received info indicated that torrential rains washed away massive larval populations in July and August, but additional information was not available at the time this report was compiled (PPD/Ethiopia).
In Uganda, FAW was reported infesting maize crops and MinAgri is disseminating technical information on FAW scouting, monitoring and preventive control interventions via mass media and through agri field agents to reach out to affected farmers (DLCO-EA).
In Zimbabwe, FAW was reported in irrigated maize. MinAgri is providing technical assistance to affected farmers. MinAgri and other staff participated in a USAID/BFS-funded regional training on FAW in Harare.
No updates were received from other countries across sub-Saharan Africa at the time this report was compiled. However, it is likely that FAW is causing a problem to irrigate crops (DLCO-EA, IRLCO-CSA, OFDA, PPD/Ethiopia, PHS/Tanzania).
African Armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW):
There were no reports of AAW during October (DLCO-ER, IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/PSPM).
FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 6 WEEKS:
FAW: That FAW will likely remain a threat to 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 season will commence in the southern outbreak region during the forecast period. 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.
