Only 9 months since its discovery, the black-headed worm has caused heavy damage to the coconut garden in Ben Tre province. In addition to the temporary management measures to stop the spreading speed, it is very important to find out the ‘etching’ of the black-headed worm to effectively protect the coconut garden in Ben Tre.
The speed of spread is fast
Black-headed caterpillars cause 70-80% damage in the coconut orchard they appear. According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Agriculture and Rural Development) of Ben Tre province, since the discovery of the black-headed pest in July 2020 to the beginning of April 2021, the whole province of Ben Tre has more than 160 hectares of coconut orchards. black attack, in which the area heavily infected with burnt leaves was 51ha. This is the area where more than 40% of the leaf boats are damaged out of the total number of leaf boats surveyed based on the guidance of the Southern Plant Protection Center (Plant Protection Department). Currently, the blackhead worm continues to cause harm in districts of Binh Dai, Chau Thanh, Mo Cay Nam, Mo Cay Bac, Ben Tre City and Cho Lach. The largest outbreak was in Huu Dinh commune of Chau Thanh district with over 66ha of infected coconut orchards. Mr. Dang Thanh Hai, in Huu Nhon hamlet, Huu Dinh commune, has 2,000 square meters of coconut over 40 years old that are being attacked by blackhead worms, causing heavy damage. Mr. Hai said that because the coconut tree is 30-40m high, it is impossible to spray this insecticide, so he had to destroy it. “Coconuts grown for a long time, used to suffer many diseases but did not die, now the black-headed worm eats them, causing mass death of coconuts, irreversible. Blackhead worm is very dangerous because it eats coconuts very quickly, within 2 months it has spread, cannot be cured “- Mr. Hai said. Up to now, the areas of coconuts heavily damaged by blackhead worms in Phu Long and Dinh Trung communes, Binh Dai district, are basically controlled by functional agencies. However, the application of mini aircraft to control the epidemic is ineffective. In other harmful blackhead worm detection locations, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with local authorities to organize workshops and trainings to guide farmers in implementing control measures. Up to now, farmers are basically aware of the harm level as well as basic control measures, self-treatment and spraying. Mr. Phan Tan Loc, Head of Agriculture and Rural Development Division of Chau Thanh district, said: “The black-headed worm attacked about 80 hectares of the district’s coconut garden. The locality has organized the spraying of drugs according to the instructions of the authorities, but it is not effective. Therefore, the district proposes the Provincial People’s Committee to extract funding for researching special treatment drugs, soon going to the army to spray simultaneously to stamp out the epidemic, to avoid widespread spread; deploying extensive propaganda to people about temporary management measures for people to know and implement ”. Implement temporary management measures 
The black-headed worm attacked the coconut garden in Ben Tre. After the outbreak of black-headed worm, Ben Tre Plantation and Plant Protection Department coordinated with Southern Plant Protection Center to take samples of harmful pests and send identification samples. Center for Plant Inspection and Inspection, the Plant Protection Department has identified this pest with the scientific name Opisina arenosella Walker – a serious pest originating from southern India and Sri Lanka. In Vietnam, the blackhead worm that harms coconuts is a new pest that has not been researched and has a registered pesticide for control. Therefore, the Plantation and Plant Protection Department of Ben Tre province has issued a temporary control measure based on the reference information of the Southern Center for Plant Protection and some actual records of the unit. At the same time, to carry out propaganda and training on knowledge of blackhead pest prevention for farmers in Ben Tre. In addition, the District Plantation and Plant Protection Station also actively coordinates with relevant sectors to actively propagate, organize training courses, guide coconut farmers to recognize and manage blackhead worm. . Regarding the temporary management measures, the Department recommends that farmers regularly visit the garden to timely detect and implement preventive measures. In case of detecting a black-headed worm, people quickly prune, destroy leaves and leaves that are damaged by worms, burn or bury them in water to reduce the pest population effectively and safely for people and the environment. . This is an important and necessary measure to take immediately after a pest is detected. People should also balance fertilizer, divided into many fertilization times a year. Mr. Huynh Quang Duc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre province, said: The view of the Ben Tre Agriculture sector is to coordinate with companies and businesses inside and outside the province to immediately apply quarantine measures to reduce honey. number of worms, limit the spread while waiting for research results to have a complete process. Pest control with the motto of environmental protection, organic coconut production has been successfully built by businesses and farmers. To stamp out epidemic diseases, but ensure a stable production environment and especially protect people and animals living under coconut canopy … In the long term, deep management of blackhead by biological means to ensure the environment, ensure the quality of coconut products with the quality of food safety accepted by the domestic and foreign markets. According to Mr. Duc, Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry is speeding up the implementation of the project “Research and assessment to determine the harmfulness of coconut leaf-eating worms and build models and propose solutions. biosafety management and prevention in the province of Ben Tre ”to apply results in production. The school has set up a room for propagating parasitic bees at the Department of Planting and Plant Protection, expanding one room at the Center of High-tech Agriculture to both research and release quickly parasitic bees. Good on black-headed worm pupae and larvae. Mr. Vo Van Nam, Head of Plantation and Plant Protection Department of Ben Tre province, said: The Department has recorded many natural enemies of the black-headed worm that harms coconut in gardens in Binh Dai district. Typically, parasitic bees, stink bugs catching prey, weaver ants, pincer beetles … Therefore, the Ben Tre Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection recommends that people choose pesticides that are less toxic, less harmful to the kind of natural enemy. In the coming time, will aim to control blackhead worm with biological measures because Thailand has successfully applied this measure with parasitic bees. In addition, the Department is also cooperating with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry to conduct research as well as to breed this natural enemy. “Can Tho University has also studied and tested a probiotic to prevent blackhead worms with plant extracts. Initial testing on some infected areas has been effective, farmers are very excited. Ben Tre is building organic coconut gardens, so the protection of these coconut areas with bio-products is extremely necessary. Next time, this unit will continue to test to complete the process and products. If the product continues to achieve high efficiency, we will put into the process to recommend farmers to use “- Mr. Nam said.
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