LAHORE: After showing its muscle to maize crop, Fall Armyworm (FAW) has started shifting its manifestation on potato crop, especially in Pakpattan district.
According to a pest alert issued by the Directorate General (Pest Warning & Quality of Pesticides), currently maize crop is near maturing and a possibility is there that FAW may shift to other alternate host plants like potato.
The incidence has already been reported from Pakpattan district by the field formation and further confirmed by the Entomological Research Institute (AARI) Faisalabad.
The alert said Fall Armyworm (FAW) is an important polyphagous insect pest having potential to damage more than 80 plant species of economically important crops such as maize, sorghum, rice, cotton and some common vegetables etc. To mitigate the damage of this pest on crops, a well-coordinated management campaign has already been launched by the pest warning wing with the main focus on maize crop including alternate host crops like sorghum, pearl millet, and vegetables etc.
Keeping in view high spreading ability, large reproductive capacity, absence of diapauses and wide host plant range, this pest is likely to colonize most of the areas.
"It is predicted that this pest may shift to alternate host plants being polyphagous in nature. Currently maize crop is maturing and there is a possibility of shifting this pest on other alternate host plants," the alert added.
The DG asked its Lahore and Multan Directors of Agriculture to keep passion and exuberance and sensitize the field formations to be alert, maintain proper vigilance on the infestation of FAW, advise field staff to guide the farming community for taking timely and appropriate control measures in this regard.
Meanwhile, Aamer Hayat Bhandara, a progressive farmer from Pakpattan and member of the FAW management committee formed by the provincial government, said insect had invaded maize crop in Pakistan but now a days it had shifted on potato and damage has observed in Pakpattan and Okara. Due to excess vegetation Maize crop tolerated its attack and then sprouted new branches, but unfortunately potato crop could not tolerate such attacks and farmers also could not afford FAW attack on potato because of back bone crop of such area, he added.
Bhandara appealed the authorities to immediately chalk out a plan for next five years to tackle this pest as its host crops can range between 90 to 170 crops and can destroy the overall Pakistan agriculture sector, if not taken seriously.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021