Alert on possible pest attack in Cordillera raised amid rainy season

Baguio City, Philippines – The Plant Pest Surveillance (PPS) Team of Cordillera on Monday, June 20, 2022 warned farmers to brace for possible attacks of various pests from July to September this year.

This, according to the unit, is based on studies conducted showing pests are likely to attack during the rainy season.

The regional surveillance unit cited the data submitted by all regions in the country from 1993 to 2017 to Bureau of Plant Industry - Crop Pest Management Division, proving a high probability of such occurrence.

Surveillance of the PPS Monitoring Unit of DA – Cordillera, 5% to 60% of the fields can be attacked by the pest in said season.

“Dagiti peste nga posible nga agatakar ket dagiti sumaganad: RICE BLACK BUG (Nangisit a Bangaw), RODENTS (Ba-o wenno Utot), RICE STEM BORER, BROWN PLANTHOPPER ken BACTERIAL LEAF BLIGHT,” the Plant Pest Surveillance of Cordillera stated through their social media account.

Cordilleran farmers are advised by the unit to watch for their fields and send reports to the agency if pests are spotted in their area. They could easily reach them through their Facebook account: Plant Pest Surveillance Cordillera (Plant Pest Surveillance and Monitoring Unit.)

Pest infestations in Cordillera

Though DA – Cordillera did not disclose the total amount of damage to crops from pest infestations in the region, the department reported infestations in Rizal, Kalinga and Conner, Apayao.

In the surveillance and monitoring activity held on March 1 to 4, 2022, Brown planthoppers (BPH) were detected in the rice fields of barangays Babalag East, Macutay and San Quintin in Rizal.

The monitoring team observed that the pests flocked on the lower part of the plant up to the higher portions of the leaves, resulting for the crops to dry.

Meanwhile, 1.75 hectare of rice field in Talifugo, Conner was infested with bacterial leaf blight, stem borer, and “alibut” (lizard). 2.5 hectares of cornfield in Barangay Puguin were also infested with fall armyworm (FAW) and rodents.

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