Conflict with threat pest and threat to Fall Armwarm

Context

A new problem has recently been knocked down in front of farmers in Karnataka as Fall Armwarm or Spodoptera FrugiParda. Fall Armiwarm (Fadblu) or Spodoptera Frugiperda (Spodoptera Frugiperda), the American tropics and subtropics is an insect found in the fields. If it is not managed well in larval stage then it can damage crops very much.

About Fall Armwarm

• The first choice of this insect is maize but it can eat more than 80 species of plants including rice, jowar, millet, sugarcane, vegetables and cotton. FA was first found in mid-and western Africa in the beginning of 2016 and in a few days spread almost rapidly throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
• In 2017, due to the spread of this insect in South Africa, crops had suffered heavy losses. These insects first attack the plant leaves, after their attack, the leaves look like they were cut from the scissors. These insects can give 900-1000 eggs at a time.
• The presence of this devastating insect in the Indian subcontinent, first in May 2018, was recorded in Karnataka and since then it has reached West Bengal and Gujarat. Due to the proper climatic conditions, it can spread not only in entire India but also in neighboring countries of Asia. Karnataka state is one of the largest maize producers in India and maize is the third largest grain produced in the country.
• The Directorate of Vegetable Conservation, Quarantine and Collection has issued an advisory to the Agriculture departments of the affected States with Fall Armwarm. It has suggested extensive surveys to track the spread of pests. The Directorate also suggested a parasite name which can be left in the fields to destroy caterpillars. In addition, the Directorate advised the use of pesticides such as lambda-siholothrin against the Armwarm, but also warned that the use of pesticides and parasites should not be used simultaneously.

Under the influence of armaments

• Increasing business and transportation between infected and non-infected areas, along with climate change, are due to the dispersal of Armavarm, which has potentially put the world's food security in jeopardy. Hot and humid temperatures (between 20 to 32 degrees Celsius) and long and dry intermittent fall are favorable factors for breeding of Armavarm.
• Some other reasons for the dispersion of the Armwarm - में Rapidness in reproduction 
  के Suitable for the tropical and sub-tropical climate of the Indian subcontinent, which provides food for the whole year.

Control of armaments

• The most popular methods of controlling this pest include the use of GM crops and pesticides, however, some Armwarm has developed resistance against these strategies and they are destroying the crops.
• Scientists are engaged in the search of natural methods to control the Armavarm. These natural methods include the followings of wasps and the germ warfare .

Some other cases of pest control in India 

• According to the statistics of the National Agricultural Insect Research Bureau, Australia's Eucalyptus Gall Wass, Sapota Seed Borer of Sri Lanka, South American Tomato Pinwarm and Papaya Mellibag are among the most aggressive species that have entered India after 2001. 
• Papaya Mellibug , found in Central America in 2008, entered India and destroyed many plants planted under plantation in many states. In addition to the papaya tree, it can survive by feeding more than 80 other plants, including mulberry, tapioca, hibiscus and many fruits. Within two years in Tamil Nadu, this insect spread on the mulberry planted in an area of ​​more than 50 hectares, which is the source of silkworm insects. During that time the Coconut productivity of Tamilnadu silk industry fell by more than 60%. 
  की The thick layer of wax on the body of the insect made it resistant to chemical pesticides. This insect also killed some natural enemies of insects in India, like Lady Bird Beetle.In order to eliminate these species of pests, their natural predators were imported from their native country. This insect damaged about 1500 crores of rupees every year by farmers. The pesticide spraying also damages the environment too.
• In 2014, Tomato Pinwarm, or Tuta absoluta, a South American moth, was seen in Karnataka. Within a few years, it reached Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and other areas, where it caused extensive damage to the tomato crop.

Point of note

• Aggressive species harm the global economy $ 1.4 trillion annually . However, such infections are usually not known at the earliest stages or they can not be cured. This enhances their dispersion and makes the control process more difficult.
• Exotic species that migrate from their native land into a new land can prove to be a major threat to both agriculture and wildlife. These may include insects, trees, weed or viruses. Many of these are destroyed in the new environment, some adapt themselves to the environment, as in the case of some species of eucalyptus in India. Species which, according to the environment, retain their population and do not create any major risk for biodiversity.
• But a small part of some foreign species, such as Fall Armwarm becomes aggressive, i.e. they spread uncontrollably. The absence of natural predators of the native countries of these species makes it difficult for them to disrupt the ecosystem and make heavy economic losses.

Quarantine system of India

• A system under which the imports of imported grains and plants imported at ports, airports and land boundaries all over the world are inspected so that it can be ensured that imported grains or plants are not bringing any disease broadcaster with them.
• The responsibility of quarantine in India is of the Directorate of Vegetable Conservation, Quarantine and Collection, whose headquarter is at Faridabad in Haryana. The lack of staff and lack of strong rules in the Directorate has made it difficult to investigate the boundaries in India.
• Quarantine system in India is governed by the Vegetative Quarantine Order, 2003 (Regulation of Importation in India) , which has been notified under the Destructive Worms and Pest Act, 1914 .
• Under the plant quarantine order, cereals or plants can be brought to India only through notified points of entry. These include 44 ports, 23 airports, 19 land boundary stations, as well as foreign post offices and container depots. At each of these points, each imported item should be inspected by the authorities of the Directorate of Vegetable Conservation.

Problems of quarantine system in India

• Some of these ports lack the major experts of the Directorate. Some quarantine stations do not have sociologists (nematologists-scientists who study gooseby) , while other pathologists are missing. Even when virologists are present, it may be that they do not have the equipment like the ELISA test kit to detect viruses.
• Apart from this, there are differences in regulating the import of plant material by travelers. Under quarantine order, there is permission to carry nearly 2 kg of flowers and dry fruits, but there should be a certificate for bringing large amounts of any seeds or flowers which it declares that they are free from insects and micro-organisms. In the absence of a certificate, such passengers who have arrived at the international airport must declare themselves. But this long and cumbersome process is rarely followed by the passengers.

Forward path

• In the case of India, a strong quarantine system can not prevent entry of Armaments, but can reduce its effects.
• Applying the damage caused by bringing foreign fruits and flowers to the airspace on the signboard, as a cheetahani, can create awareness. 
• Providing better training to the plant quarantine authorities and providing them the tools to detect dangerous species can reduce the possibility of entry of aggressive flora in the country.
• India should learn from a country like Australia that has appointed sniffer dogs to locate agricultural inputs to the passengers. It also has a scanner that can locate compounds like seeds in passengers' luggage. Apart from this, there is also a stringent penalty for those who violate the rules.
• After the widespread scope of default in the current quarantine system , a new bill called ' Agriculture Bio-Security Bill ' was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2013. However, this bill could not be passed. It is necessary to bring such laws to improve the quarantine facilities in the country.

Sources- The Hindu, Team Vision Input