SENA DALAMBUWA DESTROYS THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF MAIZE CULTIVATION

The pest Fall Armyworm (Sena Dalambuwa) has destroyed more than 3000 acres of maize cultivation in the Ampara District and more than 4000 acres in the Mahiyangana area, much to the anxiety of the farmers. Ampara District Director of Agriculture M. Saneer said the pest was spreading to vegetable and cow-pea cultivation. He said the maize cultivation in Damana, Uhana, Wadinagama, Pannalgama, Mangalagama and Keviliyamaduwa were the worst affected.

Chief Incumbent of Mangalaramaya in Batticaloa Ven. Ampitiye Sumanarathana Thera said that thousands of people who depended on maize cultivation were in a predicament for want of an income. The Thera pointed out that the pest had destroyed maize cultivation in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Puttalam districts and that the government should have paid more attention on this danger facing the agricultural sector in the country.

Meanwhile Mahiyangana Assistant Director of Agriculture Nilantha Sarath Kumara said more than 4000 acres of maize cultivation in Meegahakiula, Mahiyangana, Kandeketiya and Redimaliyedda divisions had been destroyed by the pest. He said it was 50 percent of the total area under maize cultivation. He said the farmers were instructed to use the pesticides recommended by the agricultural officers at the larvae stage of the Caterpillar and to use the Perromone Trap introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture. Agricultural officers said about five Pheromone Traps would be sufficient for an acre of cultivation.

‘Y’ shaped upside- down sign on its head. Bubble signs on the section of its body. Four bubbles of the last part of the body show the four corners of a square.

First, hole in the leaves of the maize Hole spreads like the divisions of branches. Even the tender maize corns are eaten from the middle.