Fall Armyworm attack the standing crops in Assam
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment
In News:
- Fall armyworm attack on the standing crops in various districts of Assam has been reported recently.
Important value additions:
Fall armyworm
- Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is an insect.
- It is widely distributed in Eastern and Central North America and in South America.
- It has spread across the world because of trade and its strong flying ability.
- India’s tropical climate could allow the pest to thrive and spread further.
- If not well managed, it can cause significant damage to crops in its larva stage .
- It can affect large variety of species of crops, primarily maize.
- It can be controlled with:
- insecticides (like lambda-cyhalothrin)
- through natural predators (such as coccinellid beetles
- by inter-cropping.
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