THE SIMPLEST WAY TO BIOLOGICALLY CONTROL FALL ARMY WARM: PEPPER AND WOOD ASH.

WHAT IS FALL ARMY WARM?

 

The fall armyworm is a heavy feeder that quickly destroys the maize crop. It can destroy an entire crop if it is not controlled on time. It can spread fast, and can fly over 30 kilometres in one night assisted by the wind. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) derives the name from its’ feeding habits whereby they eat everything in an area until it is over and the entire "army" then moves to the next available food source.

DAMAGE:

The pest is very aggressive because while invading a new area, it has few or no natural enemies. The larval stage of the fall armyworm is the most destructive stage. The fall armyworm larval stage burrows into crops, destroys and eventually kills the plants. Their damage appears as tattered edges and holes on leaves, tassels and/or ears.

HOST CROPS:

They prefer to feed on maize but also target wheat, millet, cotton, sorghum, sugarcane, tobacco, potatoes and rice. Larvae feed on maize leaves and may attack the tassels and/or ears of maize.

MULTIPLICATION:

The adult female begins laying eggs after 3 or 4 days and lays about 150 eggs a day for 8 to 10 days and between 1500 and 2000 eggs in a lifetime.
The lack of rains and the increased temperatures provide the right conditions for the rapid multiplication of the fall armyworm and other pests

ATTEMPTED BUT FAILED CHEMICAL CONTROL:

The chemical sprays have however proven futile as the worm is quite resistant to the major synthetics agro-chems. The chemicals further contaminate the environment and cause major health risks to humans, livestock and biodiversity especially the non-targeted organisms.

• WHAT WORKS: BIOPESTICIDE

Ground chilli(pepper) + Wood ash.

1. Buy ripe chilli powder (pepper) from the market or prepare your own using ripe pepper.
2. Dry the pepper and make powder by either grinding or pounding, remove the big particles and leave the fine powder.
3. Sieve cold wood ash from the fireplace.
4. Get 1 tin gorogoro (2kg tin or plastic) of ash.
5. Mix 1 gorogoro of wood ash with 5 teaspoonfuls of chilli powder.
6. Mix the chilli and woods properly by shaking them in a container.
7. Put the mixture in a used pesticide container that has small holes.
8. Apply the mixture from the container by shaking it once into each plant funnel.

Note: For good results, apply the mixture immediately you see the worms in the maize and repeat the same if you notice any pests in the maize or pest damage to your crop. Note: In the case of severe infestation, farmers can use the ash and pepper mix other biopesticides to control the fall armyworm.

This is a proven workable environment- friendly control measure for this worm with devastating effect on our local farmers!

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