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Preventive Control

Natural enemies

Parasitoids

  1. Braconid
  2. Cotesia
  3. Tachinid fly

Predators

  1. Damsel bug
  2. Ground beetle
  3. Lacewing
  4. Praying mantis
  5. Weaver ant

Monitoring

To monitor the presence of armyworm, conduct visual inspection by going around the field. Look in field margins, low areas where plants have lodged, beneath plant debris around the base of plants, and underneath the plant leaves. Examine 100 plants at random by examining 20 plants from 5 locations. The general recommendation of the economic threshold level on grain crops is 60 larvae per linear meter (Scott, 2003).

Management and cultural practices

  1. Practice proper field sanitation. Cut weeds from bordering fields. Remove weeds regularly to reduce breeding sites and shelter for armyworm. Remove all plant debris after harvesting.
  2. Employ proper seed selection when seeds for sowing are taken from the previous harvest. Adults might have laid eggs on the seeds during armyworm infestation.
  3. Plow and harrow field thoroughly. Sometimes, the small grains or grasses are plowed-under after the eggs are laid on them. As the field is planted and the plants begin to grow, the larvae will continue to develop and will start attacking the plants.
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