The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is urging horticulture and turf growers in the Gingin and north Wanneroo production areas to monitor crops for the plant pest, ‘fall armyworm’.
Senior Research Scientist at the Department, Helen Spafford said fall armyworm larvae had been detected in a local crop.
“While moths have been found in traps in the area before, this is the first time fall armyworm larvae have been confirmed in a horticulture crop near Gingin,” Dr Spafford said.
“It is important for growers to monitor their crops carefully for larvae, or caterpillars, to confirm presence of the pest and to make informed management decisions.”
Dr Spafford said young fall armyworm larvae could be difficult to identify, as they looked similar and caused the same damage as related pests.
“As fall armyworm grow, their characteristics become much easier to distinguish as they develop white, lengthwise stripes and dark spots — the pattern of which is important for identification,” she said.
“If growers are uncertain, the best way to confirm the pest is to report it to the Department for scientific identification, then growers will know what they are dealing with.”
Dr Spafford said controlling fall armyworm could be a challenge, as they were prone to developing resistance.
“In Australia, the pest carries the genes that confer resistance to Group One insecticides. It is important to apply controls for fall armyworm and other pests judiciously to manage the risk of potential treatment issues with fall armyworm,” she said.
Fall armyworm is a moth, native to the American tropics, which has a wide range of host plants, including corn and grass crops, turf grass, brassicas, beans, melons and tomatoes.
The pest was first confirmed in the Torres Strait islands in January 2020 and has since spread to Queensland, the Northern Territory, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.
