Gangjin-gun, Early Detection of Tropical Gypsy Moth... Urges Pest Control Measures

Request for Monitoring Including Installation of Pheromone Traps in Corn Farming Households

[Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su] Gangjin County in Jeollanam-do is strengthening surveillance and pest control guidance activities following the first discovery of the fall armyworm, which flies to Korea riding the westerly winds, on the 17th in Jeju.

This year, considering the outbreak situation in places like Yunnan Province, China, which directly affect Korea, it is expected that the number of fall armyworms flying into the country will increase, requiring special attention.

The fall armyworm is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the American continent and causes damage by indiscriminately eating the leaves and stems of gramineous crops such as corn, rice, and sugarcane during its larval stage.

It especially causes significant damage to corn, with known yield losses of 20% in Africa and 5-10% in China.

A single female adult fall armyworm can lay up to 1,000 eggs and has the characteristic of traveling more than 100 km in one night by riding the wind. Also, since it settles inside the leaves and damages the growing points, causing great damage to the harvest, early pest control is very important.

The Agricultural Technology Center has installed pheromone traps in four main corn cultivation areas, including Chillyang-myeon and Doam-myeon, since the 12th to conduct regular surveillance activities. In addition, farmers are urged to actively cooperate by immediately reporting any pests suspected to be fall armyworms to the Agricultural Technology Center or the agricultural counseling offices in the towns and townships so that rapid pest control can be carried out.

Kim Chun-gi, head of the Agricultural Technology Center, requested, "If pest control is carried out promptly at the early stage of fall armyworm occurrence, the damage rate can be greatly reduced, so please conduct meticulous surveillance activities to enable early detection."

Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.