Why is it important to manage FAW proactively?

Like many plant pests and diseases, early and timely action is critical before the FAW gets out of control and creates serious damage to the crop. It is especially important with FAW as it is easier to control FAW when the larvae are small and before the FAW larvae move into the whorl.

FAW has some characteristics that can make it difficult to manage:

• FAW can multiply fast, with short life cycles in ideal climatic conditions of around 20-30 days and with an adult moth capable of laying 1,000 eggs over her lifetime. There will likely be multiple generations of FAW within a season depending on the conditions.

• FAW has no diapause growth phase.

• Younger larvae are difficult to see, and farmers must instead look for FAW infestation signs and symptoms like small “pin holes” and “windowpanes”. This can be confusing for farmers who may expect to see large caterpillars. Larger larvae and moths are also nocturnal.

• Young larvae tend to migrate to the whorl of maize plants; therefore, older larvae (4th-6th instar) can be more difficult to control because in the whorl they are protected from insecticides or other management approaches.

• The FAW moths can fly very long distances with ease, particularly with ideal wind and climate conditions.

• FAW can evolve resistance to insecticides relatively quickly, and in some areas, this has already occurred. Only use pesticides when necessary and follow good practices such as alternating pesticides with different modes of action. Remember that the presence of FAW in a crop does not necessarily mean that spraying a pesticide is economically justified.

One of the most important actions a farmer can take is to actively scout the maize at regular intervals –scout at least every 7 days. Farmers can then decide to take early action, as necessary.

FAW can be managed well through a combination of integrated pest management and plant health practices. So don’t panic about FAW – be smart, use good agricultural practices, and quality seeds, and scout your crop regularly!