Fall Armyworm information and guidance

[mserror]

This may be helpful for you, or you may be able to help farmers who cannot access this:

 

http://unsdsn.org/news/2019/07/12/outcomes-from-the-fall-armyworm-in-asia-conference/

 

 

[drtreelove]

Fair warning there on a potentially devastating pest.  And some interesting information on preventive management that can apply to other crops and pest issues as well.

 

On the second day of the e-conference, Paul Jepson (Oregon State University) explained how certain pesticides do more harm than good by killing natural enemies and harming human health (slides). Malvika Chaudhary (CABI) then discussed the various options for biological control, i.e. biological control by introduction, augmentation and conservation (slides).

 

Several agronomic methods appear to influence FAW
infestation in smallholder conditions e.g., legume
intercropping (not pumpkin!), conservation agriculture,
organic amendments, retention of forest patches

 

(1) Minimum tillage; (2) Mulching;
(3) legume intercropping; (4)
flowering shrubs/trees; (5)
boundary trees; (6) crop rotation;
(7) regular scouting; (8) weeds;
(9) diverse field margins; (10)
insectivorous birds and bats; (11)
provision of nest sites; (12)
predatory wasps

 

[IsaanAussie]

I am going to an organic farm on Saturday to have a look at what "experiments" they are doing to combat FAW in the rice crop. It was listed as an issue in the reference material quoted above but I have no idea how serious it is or may become. 

Thanks to the OP, stay tuned guys this could become huge!

[drtreelove]

3 hours ago, IsaanAussie said:

I am going to an organic farm on Saturday to have a look at what "experiments" they are doing to combat FAW in the rice crop. It was listed as an issue in the reference material quoted above but I have no idea how serious it is or may become. 

Thanks to the OP, stay tuned guys this could become huge!

Where, what region? Isaan. Do they have FAW now or just anticipating the swarm? Please post what experiments are underway. 

Are you offering Nutri-tech style agronomy now, with soil analysis?  If so it would be a worthy "experiment" as a foundation for their preventive measures. 

[IsaanAussie]

10 hours ago, drtreelove said:

Where, what region? Isaan. Do they have FAW now or just anticipating the swarm? Please post what experiments are underway. 

Are you offering Nutri-tech style agronomy now, with soil analysis?  If so it would be a worthy "experiment" as a foundation for their preventive measures. 

Here in Sisaket. Dont know much but mulching and intercropping are being trialed. I post what I find out.

Living the quiet life at the moment. Empty ponds and no rain limits things.

[khwaibah]

59 minutes ago, IsaanAussie said:

Here in Sisaket. Dont know much but mulching and intercropping are being trialed. I post what I find out.

Living the quiet life at the moment. Empty ponds and no rain limits things.

 

Don't have that problem in Kap Choeng Surin. As for the rains you're correct as there will be no worry about FAW as there will not be any rice.????

[IsaanAussie]

I read the FAW issue is worse if crops are water stressed, our rice is all of that. Couple of decent falls this week but way short of what is needed. 

[khwaibah]

On 7/24/2019 at 5:03 PM, IsaanAussie said:

I am going to an organic farm on Saturday to have a look at what "experiments" they are doing to combat FAW in the rice crop. It was listed as an issue in the reference material quoted above but I have no idea how serious it is or may become. 

Thanks to the OP, stay tuned guys this could become huge!

Is this where you're going? http://www.raitongorganicsfarm.com

 

 

Edited July 25, 2019 by khwaibah

[IsaanAussie]

22 hours ago, khwaibah said:

Is this where you're going? http://www.raitongorganicsfarm.com

   

Yes mate that's the place. 

[IsaanAussie]

Plans changed, now not able to go. Amazing how after discussing and deciding to go days ago suddenly impossible. Literally had the key in the door lock and then "Oh, I forget to tell you, we have to ....." Gotta love it here!!! 

[drtreelove]

It probably isn't realistic to expect an ag dept regional biological control program with parasitoid wasp release, although the DoA has a biological control division.

 

So for the individual farmer, close monitoring and early intervention with Bt should be considered.  I don't have experience with FAW, but I do with other caterpillars and Bacillus thuringiensis is very effective if timed correctly, when early instar larvae are feeding, they have to ingest the bacteria, it's not a contact spray or systemic. It's completely non-toxic and organic program compatible.

 

I'm in Santa Cruz California right now, monitoring oak moth caterpillar development for timing of Bt spray, in anticipation of a large outbreak. There was a big moth flight in June, eggs were present into first week of July,  most have hatched and 1st and 2nd instar caterpillars are feeding now, but damage is not extensive noticeable until 4th and 5th instar.  We use the Bt kurstaki strain, with a spreader-sticker and make two applications, two weeks apart. 

 

Edited July 27, 2019 by drtreelove

[carlyai]

Here in Sisaket. Dont know much but mulching and intercropping are being trialed. I post what I find out.
Living the quiet life at the moment. Empty ponds and no rain limits things.

Hi IsaanGeorge, just came back from Aus and the farmers are in big trouble with no rain. Finally the pollies may be realising the huge water problem we have.
When it doesn't rain there's nothing you can do to trap more water when it rains?
The people here love us when we came back as it stared raining on the same day.

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

[IsaanAussie]

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

Hi IsaanGeorge, just came back from Aus and the farmers are in big trouble with no rain. Finally the pollies may be realising the huge water problem we have.
When it doesn't rain there's nothing you can do to trap more water when it rains?
The people here love us when we came back as it stared raining on the same day.

Where we are is flat land that in a "average" year receives about 1.2 metres of annual rainfall. Most of that rain falling from August to October. Trapping the water is easy, dig ponds. The issue is the managing the water. When there is not enough rain, the ponds serve no purpose. When the rains are heavy, rather than lose the water as run off it goes in the ponds. If your rice is nearly ready to harvest than heavy rains that you cannot drain are a large problem. Enough for now, ponds are part of the answer. 

The last King proposed 30% of the land be used for water storage, fish ponds etc.. I think he was spot on. Consider you have 10 rai with our rain fall. 3 Rai of ponds at 2.5 to 3 metres deep will allow enough for flooding the rice and for storing the remainder. 

This year, we had enough rain to germinate the crop and since almost enough for its growth. We have very little of the seedling rice die. But now we need "big" frequent rains to flood the paddies and kill the weeds.

For this topic, the key point is the pupae of the FAW exists in the soil, with no flooding they can mature to adult moths.