There have now been five confirmed new season findings of fall armyworm (FAW) in sweetcorn and maize in Northland, Auckland and Waikato.
Key Points:
There have now been five confirmed new season findings of fall armyworm (FAW) in sweetcorn and maize in Northland, Auckland and Waikato.
- FAW Caterpillar damage has been found, with some insects already inside the whorl.
- There are over 200 traps across the maize and sweetcorn growing regions.
- No moths have been found in these traps so far, indicating that the pest may not be migrating yet.
- Early detection and early control will prevent a rapid multiplication of the pest.
- Act now: growers and reps should be actively scouting for caterpillars at the early stages of the crop; do not rely only on moth catches from traps.
- We are still in a response which means that any suspected findings of caterpillars or moths must be reported to MPI here, or by using the app here, or by freephone 0800 80 99 66.
- There are no negative consequences to growers for reporting, as this pest will not be controlled by removing crops.
- While there are no insecticides on label yet for FAW on maize, international information tells us that spinetoram 120g provides good early control of larvae at 200-400 ml per hectare. FAW has not shown signs of resistance to this insecticide yet.
- Cutworm damage is also being reported. There are insecticides on label for this pest. Consult with your advisor.
- If you scout your crops and don't find any FAW, this is valuable information. Send this to faw@mpi.govt.nz.
The photos below illustrate the findings in north Waikato this week, the caterpillar is already in the whorl, which indicates late detection and makes it harder to control, this is why walking the crop and finding early signs is key.
For more resources and identification guides click here.
Images: FAW damage on leaf and into the whorl. Courtesy of Daniel Sutton (PGGW)