New fall armyworm sex attractant completes development 02-22-2021

On January 26, Guilin Jiqi Group Co., Ltd. (Guilin Jiqi) signed a patent transfer contract with the Institute of Plant Protection of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPP). The contract transferred ownership of the patented technology “a high-efficiency fall armyworm sex attractant and application thereof,” which was jointly developed by IPP and the National Agri-Tech Extension and Service Center. Guilin Jiqi has worked closely with IPP to develop new products and technology and to improve utilization rate of pesticides for a long time. After the patent is transferred, the two parties will cooperate in optimizing and manufacturing the product as soon as possible. The new attractant is expected to provide tools for the prevention and control of fall army worms and bolster national grain security, food safety, and environmental safety.

 

Fall army worms are considered as global migratory pests, and they severely threaten the production and quality of grain crops in China. In response, a team from IPP and the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center developed a sex attractant for fall army worms intended to be used with insect traps. In 2020, experts from the two institutions conducted a trial of the sex attractant product for fall army worms in Changping to trap fall army worms. Compared to other sex attractants, the one developed by IPP and the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center was the most effective and trapped the highest number of fall army worms.

 

Ministry of Agriculture adds fall army worms to pest list amid spread throughout China

Fall army worms originally come from the tropical and subtropical zones of North and South America, and fall army worms are spread widely throughout the American continents. In January 2019, fall army worms spread to Yunnan province in China from Southeast Asia. Currently, fall army worms have been found in many provinces such as Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, Fujian, Sichuan, and Hainan.


Due to their high fertility, adaptability, as well as destructiveness, fall army worms were ranked as one of the ten most destructive insects in the world by Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International. In November 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China added fall army worms to the official list of Crop Diseases and Insect Pests. The Chinese customs quarantine control also pays close attention to fall army worms.


Fall army worms threaten a wide variety of locations and crops

Fall army worms usually have the following characteristics. First, fall army worms eat various crops. Even though fall army worms in China mainly eat corn, they also eat rice, cotton, sorghum, barley, wheat, soybeans, potatoes and over three hundred other plants. Second, fall army worms have a very strong migration ability. Recent data shows that fall army worms can quickly travel over 1600 kilometers from Mississippi, USA to southern Canada within thirty hours. Fall army worms infest widely, and a female fall army worm can produce approximately 1,500 eggs within its lifetime. At 25 degrees Celsius, a group of fall army worms can produce a second generation in 24 to 30 days. Additionally, fall army worms can also survive during the winter. Under appropriate conditions, fall army worms can continuously produce 4-6 generations each year.


Currently, pesticides such as Emamectin Benzoate, Spinetoram and Chlorantraniliprole are used to deal with the problem of fall army worms. During their adult stage, light traps are usually used to trap and kill fall army worms. Furthermore, pheromones are used to reduce and limit their reproduction, and Beauveria is also used for preventative treatment.


For more information, please check our resources on China’s crop market.

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