After a fall armyworm infestation was confirmed in La Carlota City and La Castellana, the Negros Occidental provincial government warned local farmers about the pest, which attacks rice, corn, soybeans, sugarcane and some vegetables.
According to a memorandum from the Bureau of Plant Industry from last May, the destructive pest has a high reproductive rate and is difficult to control as they have a natural tolerance for some insecticides.
Office of the Provincial Agriculturist head, Atty. Japhet Masculino, said their office is still determining the extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order yesterday calling for the creation of a coordinating task force on fall armyworm.
According to the order, there is a “critical need” to ensure preparedness and strengthen pest surveillance and management activities in the province.
In addition, the aforementioned memo noted methods of managing fall armyworms including preventing or avoiding arrival of the pest, monitoring and detecting for infestations, and suppression and control of the pest once detected./DGB, WDJ