Fall Armyworm Update

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' Plant Healthy Early Warnings, has issued communication for producers to please be mindful that the end of the maize season has been reached in many areas in South Africa. Producers should also note that the Fall Armyworm does not go into a rest phase, which means it has to complete its life cycle or die. It also cannot tolerate temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius.

As a result, FAW will have to eat something else when maize is not available in the warmer areas in South Africa such as the warmer parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KZN. All producers are urged to please be on the lookout for FAW on alternative hosts. There has been reports during the week of FAW detected on onions in Baltimore (Limpopo) and on cabbage in White River (Mpumalanga), with reports on sugarcane last week which still needs to be confirmed.

FAW was also regularly intercepted in the EU on Green peppers in the past, hence veg producers in known FAW areas may have to start scouting for this pest as well.