Farmers have been advised to be aware of a pest that is ravaging maize. Ministry of Agriculture Plant Protection Unit’s Boniface Makhubu said the pest; armyworm (umgundzatjani) has been located around Lubulini and Lavumisa. He said the armyworm eats maize leaves thereby retarding its growth. “Once this pest affects the maize, there can be no yield as it is dangerous. The harvest is greatly affected. “Farmers, especially those planting maize must be careful as there is no prevention for this,” he said. Makhubu said the worm affected maize at any stage. He said the pest was caused by a silver grey moth which lays eggs that later mature into worms. Makhubu said there had been no reports from other areas of the country but warned the public to conduct pest surveillance so as to detect the worm’s outbreak. He said the recent winds were a major cause of this outbreak. “This is because they carried the moth that produces it. To avoid further spreading to other parts of an affected maize plant, farmers are advised to spray the area that has not been affected so as to avoid spreading,” he said. Makhubu said also, farmers could cultivate a one-metre band in the affected field to avoid spreading. He said the pesticides to use were carbaryl, fastac and others.
- RSOE EDIS
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