Nghe An: Armyworm damages nearly 1,600 hectares of winter corn

Building a model for growing genetically modified corn varieties

According to statistics from the Nghe An Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, by August 20, the total area of ​​winter-spring corn infected with pests in the province had reached over 1,520 hectares, of which more than 430 hectares were severely infected.

Just over a week after planting, the corn plant only had 4-5 leaves, but Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, hamlet 7, Nam Tan commune, Nam Dan district had to spray insecticide.

“It eats very fast. If we don’t spray it in time, in just a few days the corn will be left with only stumps. We buy pesticides from a dealer outside town. They just tell us the corn has worms and they will give us the pesticide, but I don’t even know the name of the pesticide,” Mr. Ha worriedly said.

The corn plant has only 4-5 leaves but armyworms have appeared and damaged the corn field of Mr. Nguyen Van Ha's family in Hamlet 7, Nam Tan Commune, Nam Dan District. Currently, Mr. Ha is spraying pesticides to prevent armyworms. Photo: Phu Huong

Up to now, Nam Dan has planted over 300 hectares of autumn-winter corn, of which over 200 hectares have been infected with fall armyworm, concentrated in Nam Tan, Nam Thuong, Nam Hung, and Van Dien. The district is developing a plan to support people in buying sweet and sour bait to attract and destroy worms in the fields.

"We are using all measures to minimize the damage caused by armyworms; building a model to grow genetically modified corn varieties with high insect resistance on an area of ​​about 250 hectares," said Mr. Ho Dinh Thang - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nam Dan district.

Fall armyworms cause severe damage to summer-autumn corn in Thanh Chuong. Photo: Phu Huong

In Thanh Chuong, according to Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, in the summer-autumn crop of 2019, minus 300 m²While genetically modified corn in Thanh Tien commune was only slightly infected with worms, the entire 450 hectares of summer-autumn corn in the district were severely damaged by fall armyworms.

This winter crop, Thanh Chuong plans to plant 3,500 hectares of corn, closing the area before October 30. The entire district will have 350 - 400 hectares of genetically modified corn in corn growing areas to compare and control the ability to resist pests and incorporate into the structure in the next production crops.

Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee

Biological measures are the number 1 priority.

With a fast development life cycle, many birth cycles, large number of offspring, and eating from young shoots, fall armyworms are capable of causing great harm.

Farmers in Dien Thanh, Dien Chau take care of winter corn. Photo: Phu Huong

To protect more than 20,000 hectares of winter corn from this extremely dangerous and destructive pest, it is necessary to implement drastic and synchronous solutions.

However, according to Mr. Phan Duy Hai - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, biological measures must be considered the number 1 and optimal priority, because they help reduce the pressure of using chemical drugs, reduce costs, and reduce environmental pollution.

To prevent armyworms, fields must be regularly checked to detect and destroy egg nests and larvae; yellow sticky traps with sex pheromone, sweet and sour bait traps or light traps must be used to kill adults, preventing early damage caused by worms.

In corn fields, some areas of sweet corn and waxy corn should be planted ahead of schedule to attract adults to lay eggs and kill worms; use the bacterial product Bacillus thuringiensis to spray when the worms are young. Protect the natural enemies of the worms such as egg-laying wasps, parasites of young worms, predators such as pincer-tailed beetles, runners, etc. to control young worms.