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Categorized: Cultural control and agro-ecology management
Tagged: #CABI #CIMMYT #fallarmyworm #FAW #Nepal FAW IPM
What cultural or agro-ecological practices are common for the FAW management in our community?
Cultural methods are some of the most widely adopted approaches in integrated pest management in general and FAW in a particular. This technique has tremendous potential to keep the pest below the economic damage threshold. Regional cooperation for knowledge-sharing and research collaborations, along with increased research and policy interventions can favour sustainable pest management. Let’s discuss now what are these cultural practices that are currently adopting in our locality in case of fall armyworm management.
Dear Friend I believe there is a very interested article covering the Agro-ecological measured published by Harrison et al., 2019.
Thank you very much. Yes, Authors in their manuscript (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.011) have explained various aspects of agroecological measures that are potential for the management of FAW. These common potential practices are sustainable soil improvement practices, intercropping with various legume and non-legume crops, diversifying the habitat particularly the management of semi-natural (rich in floral) habitats at multiple spatial scales. Provision of floral resources in farms provide Shelter, Necter, Alternative food and pollen (SNAP) to the pest natural enemies and increase the fitness of biocontrol agents.
Thanks for the question. In Ghana, West Africa many farmers are practicing early planting which enhance maize plant growth and resistance to FAW attack in late plant stages. As a result of an Area-wide management of FAW program Farmer field school introduced by CABI (Action on Invasives) some farmers now form associations and plant in groups simultaneously, where control is also done at the same time to prevent the FAW pest from invading maize farms nearby which would later reinfest already treated fields. Lastly farmers now have been enlightened on the importance of natural enemies of FAW and are committed… Read more »
Samuel, I agree. cultural control in the form of agroecological practices (such as intercropping, mix cropping, flowering habitat in and off-farm) can promote the activity and fitness of biocontrol agents and improve the conservation biological control. These aspects need to be proved in the case of FAW.