Fall armyworms ravage Kasese farms

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Several farmers in Kirembe ward and Mubuku Town council in Kasese are counting losses after pests, including caterpillars (Fall Armyworms) and maize stalk bore invading their gardens, destroying food crops.

Most affected are the maize growers.

The outbreak was confirmed on Monday, April 27, by Julius Rukara, the Kasese District principal agricultural officer, in an interview with the New Vision online, which identified the pests as caterpillars sometimes referred to as pathogens killing caterpillars that attack and damage maize fields.



He also warned that the maize stalk bore is a major pest across sub-Saharan Africa, whose larvae cause up to 30% yield losses by tunnelling into maize and sorghum stems.  The initial damages, he warned, show up as holes in young leaf funnels, causing the plant to eventually wilt by dying the central leaves.

Field reports on Monday revealed that over 250 acres in Nyamwamba Division, Kihara, Kogere and Kigoro cells had been attacked by the pests already attacked.

Another 95 acres in Central Division, Kirembe ward, had been  affected, while farmers in Mubuku Town council, Kikura village, said about 120 acres are affected

Precautions to farmers 

With the Mubuku Town council, Central and Nyamwamba Divisions of Kasese Municipality mainly affected, Rukara reminded the farmers to exercise regular field inspections and early spraying to prevent further spread.

"Most farmers have a habit of abandoning their gardens, especially after weeding, little knowing that pests can attack anytime. You should have regular inspections. Once the caterpillars attack a garden, they automatically reduce the yields at the end of the season, since they totally destroy most crops," Rukara warned. 

He urged farmers to embrace better farming management schemes including early planting, burning infested stubble, crop rotation, and applying improved insecticides such as Bt, emamectin, dusiciper and benzoate before larvae enter the stalk. 

"Above all seek advice from the Sub-county Extension Workers," Rukara said.