NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
Some 325 hectares (has.) of corn areas in the different towns of Bohol have been damaged after being attacked by Fall Army Worm (FAW).
Based on the reported data from the Municipal Agriculture Offices received by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), there are 11 municipalities affected by FAW. Among these are Getafe, Dagohoy, Trinidad, Sierra-Bullones, Carmen, San Miguel, Dimiao, Valencia, Mabini, Danao, and Talibon.
The province has a total of 817.81 has. of corn plantations staggered in the municipalities of Alicia, Anda, Anteguera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Bien Unido, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape, Candijay, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Danao, Dauis, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Getafe, Guindulman, Inabanga, Jagna, Loboc, Loon, Mabini, Maribojoc, Pilar, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sierra-Bullones, Sikatuna, Panglao, Talibon, Trinidad, Ubay and Valencia.
According to Leon Parac, Jr., Provincial Corn Coordinator that the pest attacked the whirling or vegetative stage of planted corn. The full extent of the damage can be determined as soon as the FAW Quick Response Infestation Team can completely submit their reports.
Acting Head-OPA Larry M. Pamugas immediately created the team after receiving reports from the Municipal Agriculturists/Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAs/MAOs the presence of FAW in their respective corn farms in order to prevent or minimize the impact of infestation.
Team members, mostly OPA employees, are designated to coordinate the Regional Crop Protection Center for their possible intervention and technical support; conduct extensive monitoring to the existing crops of corn; coordinate with the office of the MA for possible control of FAW through any means on the assessment of the team; and submit daily report to Pamugas for the daily activities of the team.
FAW is a global invasive pest which can feed on more than 350 plant species including corn, rice sorghum, sugarcane, and vegetable crops by feeding on leaves, fruits and grains causing significant yield loss if not well managed.
FAW can damage a seedling by chewing through its stem. It also defoliates corn leaves, damages the corn tassel and corn ear cobs.
The Crop Pest Management Division (CPMD) of the Bureau of Plant Industry said the FAW infestation can be suppressed through physical and cultural method (handpicking, destroying egg masses and larvae), biological control (use of attractants and pheromones, use of parasite, parasitoids, predators and entomopathogens), chemical control (botanical pesticides, inorganic pesticides).
Spray some botanical insecticides to manage the FAW infestation and apply insecticides approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only when needed based on economic threshold, according to CPMD. (Atoy Cosap)