May, 2020 Issue: 57 India: After COVID-19, India’s next challenge could be mega-sized locust attack this summer Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s response to natural disasters is expected to be tested again this summer when a giant locust storm from the Horn of Africa is expected to attack farmlands in South Asia. The government while having focus on COVID-19 infections and is also getting ready to respond to locust attack on farms which might be a serious threat to food security. The worst case scenario of locust attack might be: Starting from the Horn of Africa, and joined by desert locusts from breeding grounds en route, one locust stream can travel over a land corridor passing over Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India, impacting farmlands in Punjab, Haryana and the Indo-Gangetic plain. However, another stream passing over the Indian Ocean can directly attack farms in peninsular India, and then head towards Bangladesh. Together, this can cause a serious food security issue. The destructive power of a typical locust swarm, which can vary from less than one square kilometre to several hundred square kilometres, is enormous. A one square kilometre swarm, containing about 40 million locusts, can in a day eat as much food as 35,000 people, assuming that each individual consumes 2.3 kg of food per day. An FAO situation update of April 21 spotlights that desert locusts, which are breeding this spring in East Africa, Yemen and southern Iran, will gravely heighten the threat to food security in the Afro-Asian region. In Iran, locust swarms could be forming near Jask — a port city on the Gulf of Oman, as well the Sistan- Baluchistan province, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, opening two trajectories of movement. In Pakistan, breeding grounds have been detected in Balochistan, the Indus Valley as well as Punjab. Besides, limited breeding has also been spotted near the Indian border. Most countries combating locust swarms are mainly relying on organophosphate chemicals, which are applied in small concentrated doses by vehicle-mounted and aerial sprayers. The looming locust attack, which could undermine food security in the Afro-Asian region, follows the economic devastation, and the savaging of incomes, by the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: The Hindu 01 Kenya: New bugs could help control major maize pests The rapid evolution of pest resistance to chemicals, an increasing organic food market and the negative effects of chemicals on people and the environment has increased the need to control insect pests biologically. Insect pests, such as maize stemborers and fall armyworm, increasingly challenge food production around the world. Huge demands for crops have meant agricultural systems have simplified and frequently focused on single crops. When fields are full of a single crop, they can easily be found by their insect pests, as opposed to when the crop is mixed in with others. This might yield in higher losses. Climate change – mostly increased temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns – and wild habitat reduction by farmers has added to this by increasing pest pressure and resurgence. The rapid evolution of pest resistance to chemicals, an increasing organic food market and the negative effects of chemicals on the health of people and the environment, has increased the need to control insect pests biologically. Biological control uses live organisms to kill or eat the pest insects. These organisms – called natural enemies or antagonists – are predators, parasites or micro-organisms which can bring disease and death. Insect parasitoids are one form of biological control. These are insects which develop as parasites on other arthropods, mostly insects, causing their death or sterility. They can target each developmental stage of the insect: eggs, larvae or pupae. They have received increased attention because they are efficient, cheaper and offer a management strategy that safeguards human health and the environment. Two species of these parasitoids have been discovered by researchers in Kenya. They have found to be efficient biological control agents against two major maize pests: the Cotesia typhae to control the maize stemborer, Sesamia nonagrioides. This, has become a major pest for maize; and, due to global warming, it’s spreading. The other major maize pest is the fall armyworm. This invasive species, originally from tropical areas in the Americas, invaded sub-Saharan Africa in 2016. It has now spread to Asia and Australia and has the potential to soon spread in Europe. The parasitoid the scientists found to control the fall armyworm is Cotesia icipe. It successfully parasitised 45% of fall armyworm. The next phase will focus on developing biological control of the Fall Armyworm in East Africa using Cotesia icipe and other parasitoids. African countries have faced major maize shortages and billions of dollars’ worth of damage due to the devastation caused by the fall armyworm and the increased cost of pesticide applied. There are other parasitoids that can kill these pests. However, they are not always present in nature. Understanding the prevalence and effectiveness of these other parasitoids is important. We must ensure that the parasitoids that we will introduce will not interfere with non-target Lepidoptera species and other natural enemies present in nature that can already parasitise the targeted pest. Scientists hope that, within the next two to three years, the discovery of these new parasitoids will be an effective way to control these devastating insect pests. Source: https://citizen.co.za 02 The rapid evolution of pest resistance to chemicals, an increasing organic food market and the negative effects of chemicals on people and the environment has increased the need to control insect pests biologically. Insect pests, such as maize stemborers and fall armyworm, increasingly challenge food production around the world. Thailand: BAAC aims for coverage of 45.7 million rai Huge demands for crops have meant agricultural systems have simplified and frequently focused on single crops. When fields are full of a single crop, they can easily be found by their insect pests, as opposed to when the crop is mixed in with others. This might yield in higher losses. Climate change – mostly increased temperatures and The state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) aims for up to 45.7 million rai changes in rainfall patterns – and wild habitat reduction by farmers has added to this by increasing pest pressure (7.31 Million Ha) of rice farmland to be covered by crop insurance for the 2020 season. and resurgence. Rice farmers who are the BAAC’s debtors and who secured loans for plantations can take out crop insurance free The rapid evolution of pest resistance to chemicals, an increasing organic food market and the negative effects as the state subsidized 58 baht per rai and the bank absorbed the remaining 39 baht a rai. For those who are not of chemicals on the health of people and the environment, has increased the need to control insect pests the bank’s customers, they pay crop insurance based on risks. The bank’s non-customer group with farmland in biologically. Biological control uses live organisms to kill or eat the pest insects. These organisms – called low-risk areas are charged 58 baht a rai, medium-risk areas at 210 baht per rai and high-risk areas at 230 baht a natural enemies or antagonists – are predators, parasites or micro-organisms which can bring disease and death. rai, while the government pays 58 baht per rai for them. Insect parasitoids are one form of biological control. These are insects which develop as parasites on other The scheme covers damage from seven natural disasters: floods, drought, storms, cold, hail, fires and wild arthropods, mostly insects, causing their death or sterility. They can target each developmental stage of the elephants. insect: eggs, larvae or pupae. They have received increased attention because they are efficient, cheaper and offer a management strategy that safeguards human health and the environment. Farmers will receive compensation of 1,260 baht per rai this year in the case of crops damaged by natural disasters and 630 baht per rai in the event of pests and diseases. Two species of these parasitoids have been discovered by researchers in Kenya. They have found to be efficient biological control agents against two major maize pests: the Cotesia typhae to control the maize stemborer, To get higher protection consistent with the volatile climate conditions, the government encourages rice farmers Sesamia nonagrioides. This, has become a major pest for maize; and, due to global warming, it’s spreading. to take out add-up insurance in which premiums are based on the growing area’s risks. The add-up insurance premiums are 24 baht per rai excluding duty stamp and value-added tax for low-risk areas, 48 baht for The other major maize pest is the fall armyworm. This invasive species, originally from tropical areas in the medium-risk ones and 101 baht for high-risk areas. Rice growers who take out the add-up insurance will receive Americas, invaded sub-Saharan Africa in 2016. It has now spread to Asia and Australia and has the potential to additional compensation of 240 baht per rai in cases where damage results from natural disasters and 120 baht soon spread in Europe. The parasitoid the scientists found to control the fall armyworm is Cotesia icipe. It per rai in the event of pests and diseases. successfully parasitised 45% of fall armyworm. The next phase will focus on developing biological control of the Fall Armyworm in East Africa using Cotesia icipe and other parasitoids. Some 1.9 million farmers took out crop insurance for the last crop year to provide coverage for 28.2 million rai of farmland, compared with 27.6 million in the previous year.