Research on to control fall armyworm

Kathmandu - Krishna Acharya The National Maize Research Programme based in Rampur of Chitwan has embarked on undertaking a research for the prevention and control of fall armyworm – a type of agricultural pest which has posed a serious threat to their grain outputs. The agriculture scientists and technicians have been hell bent on carrying out the research to control the pest which has been sporadically broken out across the country.

The researchers are collecting larvae of the armyworm for research. Swarms of the fall armyworm which entered Nepal in the previous years have destroyed corn crops across the country. Research Programme scientist Ghanashyam Bhandari said that they have collected larvae of the notorious caterpillar species so as to lessen the loss the pest can inflict. Larvae of the worm are more active during the night.