First Inland Discovery of Tropical Gypsy Moth ... 5 Days Earlier Than Last Year

First Inland Occurrence in Goseong, Gyeongnam
Adult Tropical Armyworm Confirmed

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] The tropical armyworm, first discovered in Goseong, Gyeongnam, has been confirmed as an adult tropical armyworm.

The Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services announced on the 11th that morphological identification by the Agricultural Research and Extension Services and the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences confirmed it as an adult tropical armyworm.

Compared to the first inland occurrence report on May 12 last year, this year's first inland occurrence has been advanced by about five days, indicating the need for rapid monitoring and control.

The tropical armyworm is native to tropical and subtropical regions and is a polyphagous pest that damages over 80 species of plants during its larval stage.

It mainly harms the leaves and stems of Poaceae plants such as corn, sorghum, and rice, causing damage as a quarantine-level pest, characterized by a rapid reproduction rate.

Female adults lay 100 to 300 eggs on the lower or upper surfaces near the base of leaves close to the plant's aboveground parts or on stems, with a single female capable of laying up to 1,000 eggs. Before laying eggs, they can migrate distances ranging from several kilometers to 100 kilometers.

This year, the average temperature in southern China was higher, creating an environment favorable for reproduction and growth, which appears to have accelerated the domestic influx compared to the previous year.

The Agricultural Research and Extension Services plan to establish a survey system with provincial and city/county offices for two weeks starting from the 17th and conduct non-face-to-face (video) technical training to strengthen the survey capabilities of city/county officials.