Pests ravage farms in Isabela

SAN AGUSTIN, Isabela: At least 138-hectare corn and palay (unhusked rice) farms were ravaged by pests in Isabela in April and May this year.

The Regional Crop Protection Center of the Department of Agriculture-Cagayan Valley has identified three prevalent pests — the fall armyworm, brown planthopper, and rice blast fungus — destroying corn and palay farms in the region, science specialist Nellie Dadufalza said.

Affected areas include this city with 5.02-hectare and Reina Mercedes with 120-hectare corn farms, both ravaged by fall armyworms this month.

Brown planthopper and rice blast fungus had damaged 13-hectare palay farms in San Agustin town.

As a remedy, technicians have recommended spraying insecticides and applying bio-control agents as advised by farm experts.

Affected palay farms must also be harvested earlier than scheduled to prevent the spread of the brown planthopper population.