DA sets up research on FAW control

With the continuous infestation of Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Western Visayas, the Department of Agriculture through the Research Division, Regional Crop Pest Management Center (RCPMC), and Corn Program established a research project focused on monitoring and control of FAW in Sitio Paradahan, Brgy. Igcocolo, Guimbal, Iloilo.

The establishment of monitoring sites aims to validate and verify the efficacy of different control measures for FAW. It also aims to identify the most effective and suitable control practices for the pest.

Six treatments were prepared in the monitoring sites – Treatment 1: No Control, Treatment 2: Systemic Control, Treatment 3: Contact/Stomach Control, Treatment 4: Systemic and Contact Control, Treatment 5: Botanical Concoction Control, and Treatment 5: Metarhizium.

Pest monitoring on the six treatment areas was being conducted every 5-6 days after spraying. Collected data like the number of live FAW collected during the monitoring is being documented.

To help corn farmers determine the effective management control for FAW, the team conducted a field evaluation on the 65-day old glutinous corn. Forty-five farmers from Sitio Paradahan participated in field activity on May 4, 2021.

Luisa Fulgueras of the DA-WV Research Division hopes that the results gathered at the end of the research project can help farmers in controlling and managing FAW.

“Farmers’ participation plays a vital role in the success of the community-based research,” said Fulgueras.

She added that their direct involvement from the establishment and monitoring of the corn areas used in the research will give them first-hand knowledge on the management of fall armyworm and other pests.

She also encouraged the farmer-participants to share their learnings with other farmers in the locality to reciprocate the best practices on pest management.

Meanwhile, Ian Mark Ciocon of RCPMC gave an update on the status of the infestation of FAW in the region. He also discussed important points in the identification and control of invasive pests.

Aside from Iloilo, five more research projects on the monitoring and evaluation of FAW will be established in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental. (DA-6)