Farmers in Tseminyu learn how to combat fall armyworm

Dimapur, May 19 (EMN): The Agriculture Technology Management Agency (Atma) of Tseminyu block in Kohima district conducted a “demonstration program,” on May 13 at Thongsunyu village in Kohima district.
The programme taught the participating farmers about how to treat crops to manage Fall armyworm, the government’s publicity agency, the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR), stated in its updates about the event.

The fall armyworm is the larval life stage of a fall armyworm moth. The term “armyworm” can refer to several species, often describing the large-scale invasive behaviour of the species’ larval stage.

It is regarded as a pest and can damage and destroy a wide variety of crops, which causes large economic damage, available information states.

An assistant technology manager for Chunlikha block, Kebegi Kent, was the resource person for the event.
The resource person demonstrated how to use locally available botanical pesticides such as Melia azarirach, marigold, lemon grass, lantana camara, chrysanthemum and pyrethrum, to manage fall armyworm.

They can do so by simply grinding the leaves of the plant and soaking it overnight which can then be applied directly to the crops the next morning, the updates stated.

“Some other cultural methods such as light traps, yellow sticky traps were also taught to the farmers.
The use of plant-derived pesticides in pest management is a cultural practice and could provide a potential arsenal against the pest,” the IPR’s report stated.

The demonstration was followed by a ‘farm inspection,’ the IPR added.