Fertilizer Sector Improvement (FSI+) FALL ARMYWORM ACTIVITY by Htoo Htoo Aung Technical Transfer Specialist IFDC Yangon November 2019 INTERNATIONAL FERTILIZER DEVELOPMENT CENTER PO BOX 2040 | MUSCLE SHOALS, AL 35662 | USA Table of Contents Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Initial Activity ................................................................................................................................. 3 FAW Retailer Training in Southern Shan State .............................................................................. 3 A. Retailer-Led Farmer Training .......................................................................................... 5 B. Establishment of Demonstration Field Schools ............................................................... 6 C. Regular Scouting .............................................................................................................. 6 D. Scouting Attendance, Results, and Pesticide Application ............................................... 7 E. Harvesting Demonstration Plots at Demonstration Field Schools ................................. 11 F. Random Sample Crop Cuts ............................................................................................ 12 FAW Activity in the Delta Region (September 2019) .................................................................. 13 Other Related Information on the FAW Activity ......................................................................... 15 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 16 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 17 List of Appendices ........................................................................................................................ 18 Photos ............................................................................................................................................ 19 FSI+ | Fall Armyworm Activity i Acronyms and Abbreviations AI Active Ingredient AOR Agreement Officer Representative BFS Bureau for Food Security Bt Bacillus thuringiensis cc cubic centimeter COP Chief of Project DOA Department of Agriculture FAW Fall Armyworm FSI Fertilizer Sector Improvement g gram GAP Good Agricultural Practice ha hectare IFDC International Fertilizer Development Center kg kilogram m meter MMK Myanmar Kyat MOALI Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation MRTV Myanmar Radio and Television NGO Non-Governmental Organization PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan PPD Plant Protection Division PPE Personal Protective Equipment SUAP Safe Use Action Plan TOT Training of Trainers UDP Urea Deep Placement USAID United States Agency for International Development FSI+ | Fall Armyworm Activity ii Fall Armyworm Activity Summary The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) requested that the Fertilizer Sector Improvement (FSI+) project provide extension services in the FSI+ regions affected by fall armyworm (FAW). USAID and the chief of party (COP) of the FSI+ project agreed to implement the FAW activity as an extension of the project, which originally concluded in August 2019. The extension team began preparing a training manual, poster, and pamphlets on May 14, 2019, based on a training manual of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) in Bangladesh. The team then liaised with the Plant Protection Division (PPD) of the FSI+ | Fall Armyworm Activity 1 Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) to ensure consistent delivery of technical information. FAW retailer trainings were conducted in Pindaya, Aung Ban, Nyaung Shwe, and Taunggyi townships of southern Shan State at the end of May 2019. Twelve demonstration field schools were selected in six townships with active input retailers who were willing to lead. In June 2019, establishment of the demonstration field schools began, and by August 2019, one-time farmer trainings and five scoutings were performed. Sample plot harvesting of the demonstration field schools and random farmers’ crop cuts were completed during October 2019. The second edition of a training manual was produced during September 2019, and retailer training began in the Delta Region at Maubin, Zalun, and Letpadan townships. During October 2019, six demonstration field schools were established and scouting continued in five townships. Scouting was handed over to lead retailers and the Department of Agriculture (DOA) of each township and continued until the conclusion of the FSI+ extension activity at the end of November 2019. Introduction During the 2018-19 dry season, a new armyworm species, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was detected on maize fields in Myin Chan Township (Mandalay Region); Nay Pyi Taw and Tat Kone townships (Nay Pyi Taw Region); and Nyaung-don, Zalun, and Hinthada townships (Ayeyarwady Region). At that time, the FSI+ extension team was overseeing retailer-led farmer trainings and demonstration plots for balanced nutrient management and urea deep placement (UDP) in Yangon, Bago, and Ayeyarwady regions. The extension team had already observed and reported FAW infestation on maize to the FSI+ COP, who then reported it to USAID. The PPD decided to treat FAW for the long term by applying various techniques to keep the pest population under the economic threshold level, since experts noted that FAW can never be eradicated. Farmers must learn to manage it, as in North and South America and Africa. FAW infestation need not be crippling; while an incidence may look bad, the maize plant can compensate for significant foliar damage so that yield is not affected. Farmers must learn to FSI+ | Fall Armyworm Activity 2 minimize the impact on yield. This can be done by using best management practices and balanced application of fertilizer (without overapplying nitrogen), building natural enemies of FAW, and spraying insecticide only when the infestation is over the action threshold (which can be very high). Some reports indicate that an infestation of less than 25% of plants will have no impact on yield. However, a population explosion can be disastrous. Thus, farmers must be vigilant and continually scout for FAW. Initial Activity FSI+ responded to a request for action regarding Fall Armyworm, which was predicted to infest the maize crop in the coming season. A meeting was held with USAID and Impact Terra on May 10, 2019. At the same time, the extension team prepared a training manual and materials as well as posters and pamphlets. On May 16, 2019, a meeting was held with Daw Ni Ni Hain, Senior Researcher (Bio Control), PPD, to discuss a workplan and messaging. The pamphlets, poster, and training manual were reviewed in detail and approved. U Aung Kyaw Oo, Director, PPD, authorized placement of the PPD logo on FSI+ FAW Activity training materials. A training of trainers (TOT) workshop was held on Wednesday, May 22, 2019; representatives from PPD, FSI+ project, Impact Terra, Awba, and BASF attended. FAW Retailer Training in Southern Shan State The FSI+ team met with the State Manager and the responsible staff member of the PPD, DOA, southern Shan State, on May 28, 2019. The explanation that was sent in advance from IFDC was discussed. Their extension staff were invited to attend the FSI+ FAW retailer training. FSI+ | Fall Armyworm Activity 3 FAW retailer training then began in southern Shan State. Details are provided in the following table. Attendance Impact Sr Date Location FSI+ Terra BASF Borderless DOA Total 1 5/29/19 Taunggyi 16 (4+12) 1 (1+0) 17 (3+14) 34 2 5/29/19 Aung Ban 24 (16+8) 5 (5+0) 1 (1+0) 10 (1+9) 40 3 5/31/19 Nyaung 16 (10+6) 2 (2+0) 15 (2+13) 33 Shwe 4 5/31/19 Pindaya 28 (21+7) 15 (8+7) 43 Combined 150 Numbers in parentheses are male + female. Two staff members from Awba, two from Impact Terra, and six from BASF, as well as Daw Ni Ni Htain, Assistant Director, PPD, participated in the trainings. Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) recorded the training in Taunggyi and then made a field trip to capture footage for broadcasts. A discussion was held with attending retailers about establishing demonstration field schools in widespread maize areas as well as about farmer training. The demonstration field schools are designed to offer a practical learning experience for retailers and farmers. Demonstration field school procedures were explained as follows: • Retailers select a suitable location for the demonstration field school. • The crop is established with hybrid seed using good agricultural practices (GAPs) for maize. • Balanced fertilizer, with urea as UDP, is applied. • Scouting begins one week after emergence and is repeated each week until the crop is shoulder high: o Retailers and farmers gather together. o Video is shown. o Scouting record sheets are distributed. o Each farmer scouts individually. o Results are compared. o Action threshold is discussed. o A course of action is determined. FSI+ | Fall Armyworm Activity 4 o The demonstration farmer applies the treatment using personal protective equipment (PPE). • A crop cut is taken at harvest in this field and an adjacent