The battle against the dreaded maize-munching army fallworm has begun in the Eastern Cape.
Last night the provincial government announced that government-funded maize crops worth R4.6-million in Centane were the first to have been targeted by the worms.
Rural development and agrarian reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane announced he was sending a team of scientists to battle the worm.
Major crop spraying has already started and villagers in Centane are being warned to stay away from mielie fields for their own safety.
The department’s spokesman, Mvusi Sicwetsha, said: “Our multi-disciplinary team has already arrived in Centane, where work has already started to control the pest by spraying chemicals to prevent it from spreading to other nearby fields.”
Communities were urged to call on Dr Thembakazi Silwana on 063-694-0918 for emergency support and assistance should they suspect or detect the pest.
Sicwetsha said the worm was first detected in the maize fields of Cebe village in Centane.
Scientists at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries quickly had specimens tested in a laboratory in Stellenbosch.
Large-scale spraying of fields with highly toxic chemicals is about to be launched in the Centane area.
Sicwetsha said: “When the first armyworm was detected in South Africa in February, national government registered chemicals to control the pest. Our department then procured these chemicals in advance to be ready to control the pest.”
Grain SA CEO Jannie de Villiers said commercial maize would not be significantly affected because they grew genetically modified maize which was resistant to the worm.
De Villiers said that moist and warmer coastal areas were more susceptible to the worm.
Last night rain, predicted for the next few days, started falling in East London.
Team sent to Centane to battle armyworm
Last night the provincial government announced that government-funded maize crops worth R4.6-million in Centane were the first to have been targeted by the worms.
Rural development and agrarian reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane announced he was sending a team of scientists to battle the worm.
Major crop spraying has already started and villagers in Centane are being warned to stay away from mielie fields for their own safety.
The department’s spokesman, Mvusi Sicwetsha, said: “Our multi-disciplinary team has already arrived in Centane, where work has already started to control the pest by spraying chemicals to prevent it from spreading to other nearby fields.”
Communities were urged to call on Dr Thembakazi Silwana on 063-694-0918 for emergency support and assistance should they suspect or detect the pest.
Sicwetsha said the worm was first detected in the maize fields of Cebe village in Centane.
Scientists at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries quickly had specimens tested in a laboratory in Stellenbosch.
Large-scale spraying of fields with highly toxic chemicals is about to be launched in the Centane area.
Sicwetsha said: “When the first armyworm was detected in South Africa in February, national government registered chemicals to control the pest. Our department then procured these chemicals in advance to be ready to control the pest.”
Grain SA CEO Jannie de Villiers said commercial maize would not be significantly affected because they grew genetically modified maize which was resistant to the worm.
De Villiers said that moist and warmer coastal areas were more susceptible to the worm.
Last night rain, predicted for the next few days, started falling in East London.
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