Fall armyworm (FAW) is an invasive, transboundary pest which has caused widespread crop destruction around the world. The insect pest has become one of the most damaging pests in Zambia, especially for maize crops - a staple food for over 300 million farmers in Africa.
Estimates of the damage caused by the pest annually of A$242 million in Zambia, with a yield loss of A$14.29 billion annually across Africa. With adult moths travelling up to 160 kilometres in a night, the species spread rapidly across Africa and Asia since its detection outside of America in 2016. FAW arrived in Australia in 2020.
FAW is largely managed using conventional pesticides. Pesticides are sometimes overused because of a lack of awareness of other available methods, or because they are the only option of pest control compatible with smallholder farming systems.
Excessive pesticide use has been linked to lower food quality, environmental degradation and poor health outcomes for farming community.
Led by the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), the new ACIAR-supported research effort will work in close collaboration with the Zambian Agriculture Research Institute and the University of Zambia and seeks to explore alternative methods to combat the pest - in the form of biopesticides.
Biopesticides, not widely used for managing FAW, could provide a more environmentally friendly and sustainable approach.
Fall armyworm (FAW) is an invasive, transboundary pest which has caused widespread crop destruction around the world. The insect pest has become one of the most damaging pests in Zambia, especially for maize crops - a staple food for over 300 million farmers in Africa.
Estimates of the damage caused by the pest annually of A$242 million in Zambia, with a yield loss of A$14.29 billion annually across Africa. With adult moths travelling up to 160 kilometres in a night, the species spread rapidly across Africa and Asia since its detection outside of America in 2016. FAW arrived in Australia in 2020.
FAW is largely managed using conventional pesticides. Pesticides are sometimes overused because of a lack of awareness of other available methods, or because they are the only option of pest control compatible with smallholder farming systems.
Excessive pesticide use has been linked to lower food quality, environmental degradation and poor health outcomes for farming community.
Led by the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), the new ACIAR-supported research effort will work in close collaboration with the Zambian Agriculture Research Institute and the University of Zambia and seeks to explore alternative methods to combat the pest - in the form of biopesticides.
Biopesticides, not widely used for managing FAW, could provide a more environmentally friendly and sustainable approach.
Read more here.