The armyworm attack rice plants at all stadia . The
attacks usually occur at night while during the day armyworm larvae
burrow at the base of the plants , in the soil or in hidden places . Seranga
this caterpillar eating leaf strands starting from the end of the main
veins of leaves and left to live without leaves of rice plants . In
plants that have formed tassel , armyworms often cut stalk tassel ,
even armyworm is also attacking rice that has begun to turn yellow . Turning yellow rice stem the rot and die which eventually led to crop failure . Offensive or off when the yellow rice panicle this is very detrimental to farmers .
Armyworms
have polyfag nature ( eat all the plants ) so that not only attack
armyworms rice plants , but armyworms ( Spodoptera litura ) even more
frequently attacked pepper plants , red onion , and soy . These pests can attack a plant very quickly , even in a day can be depleted leaves of a plant attacked by hordes of armyworms . Plant pests ( OPT ) is menggrogoti the leaves starting at the bottom to the top or even to the remaining epidermisnya alone . If the leaves of a plant is damaged , then the plants can not
photosynthesis and can not increase the productivity of these crops .
Adult
insects of this type has a length Leucania Separata front wingspan
between 45-50 mm with varying colors between red brick to brown . These insects aged 3-7 days and for a female insects can lay eggs as many as 80-230 grains .
Adult
insects Spodoptera litura , has a body length of 20-25 mm , aged 5-10
days and for a female insects can lay 1,500 types of items in groups of
300 grains . These insects are very active at night , while during the day the adult insect is dark and silent place to hide .
These insects have eggs with a round shape . The
eggs of insects Leucania separata arrangement laid out in 2 rows in the
leaf roll or on the lower surface of the leaf base , with a size of 0.5
x 0.45 mm , gray-white color and turn yellow before hatching . While the composition of the insect Spodoptera F eggs laid in groups
each group composed of 2-3 layers of eggs , and eggs group covered by
the short hairs yellowish brown with age eggs 3-4 days .
Leucania
separata larval instar has a number 6 with a size of 1.8 mm length of
instar 1 and 6 instar length 30-35 mm green to pink and aged 14-22 days .
At the back there are 4 longitudinal black stripe along the body .
Larval
instar Spodoptera litura has a number 5 with 1 long instar size 1.0 mm
long and 5 instar 40-50 mm brown to blackish brown with yellow spots and
age 20-26 days . Throughout the body on both sides each have 2 light brown lines .
Armyworm insects to watch out for during the day did not appear and
usually hide in dark places and in the soil , but in the evening a great
attack and can even lead to crop failures , perhaps that is why it is
referred to as the insect armyworm .
In a dry wetland often attacked by pests armyworm therefore , to
control armyworms this diary should paddy soil conditions and necessary
early observations in order to avoid severe attack .
Initial observations can be done in a way if there is a butterfly or
moth and visible presence of insect eggs can be done by mechanical means
ie catch butterflies with nets and kill insect eggs were found .
Although the age of the armyworm larvae or range 20-26 days , but need
to watch out because the larvae or caterpillars can attack virtually
all phases of plant growth , including rice at all stages of growth .
After 20-26 days the caterpillar alive and attack the plant , then it will turn into a cocoon and then turn into a butterfly . Butterflies lay eggs and after 4-5 days to hatch into caterpillars or larvae that will attack the plants .
( source : www.cybex.deptan.go.id )
How to control armyworms by Muhammad Arifin who as a professor and
researcher at the Agency for Agricultural Research is as follows :
Vegetable insecticides are plant extracts that have insecticidal properties . Azadirachtin
extracted from the leaves and seeds of neem ( Azadirachta indica ) is
one of the secondary metabolites that can be used as an insecticide
active ingredient . Azadirachtin
acts as an inhibitor of growth and metamorphosis , barrier eating
activity , the presence of insect repellent ( repellent ) , and pemandul
insects ( sterillant ) ( Shetlar and Hale , 2008) . Vegetable insecticide with the active ingredient azadirachtin is effective against armyworms . Neem
seed powder ( 50 g / l of water ) were able to shut off the third
instar caterpillars by 67 % - 83 % ( Indiati , 2009; Koswanudin , 2002) .
This insecticide properties , among other short persistence so
that repeated applications necessary in order to achieve maximum
effectiveness ( Indiati , 2009) .
Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) is a gram- positive rod-shaped , aerobic , and spore-forming . These
bacteria contain protein crystals ( δ - endotoxin ) in inclusion body
which causes paralysis of the intestine so that the insect stops eating
and lead to death ( Bahagiawati , 2002) . Bt var kustaki easily produced and effective against armyworms . LC50 values within 72 hours for the third instar caterpillars at 259.895 ppm ( Nurramdhan , 2005) . Bt has low toxicity , low residue , slow degradation , and limited contact activity . Bt success relies on monitoring activities and applications when insects are vulnerable in the life cycle ( Williamson , 1999) .
Metarhizium anisopliae is pathogenic fungi in various types of insects and is a saprophyte in the soil . This
fungus has a high reproductive capacity , short life cycle , can form
spores that are durable in nature even in unfavorable conditions , is
relatively safe , selective , relatively easy to produce , and does not
lead to resistance ( Hall , 1973) . Spores
(also called conidia ) in contact with the insect host's body will
germinate and then penetrate the cuticle and insects thrive in the body
resulting in death . Aided by the influence of this deadly poison called destruxin . Dead
caterpillar cuticle hardens like a mummy and grow spores white then
green when the humidity is high enough ( Wikipedia , 2009) . Insect pathogenic fungus is easily propagated and effective against armyworms . Conidia at a concentration of 107/ml were diaplikaskan one is able
to kill armyworms up to 40 % while that was applied three times
increased to 83 % ( Prayogo et al . , 2005) .
Nomuraea rileyi is a fungal pathogen in various types of insects . The fungus spores attach to the insect's body and then germinate and penetrate the body wall . In the caterpillar 's body , damaging tissues the fungus produces mycotoxins using . As a result , the caterpillar disturbed metabolism , feeding activity decreased , and finally died with a body like a mummy . Fungal sporulation begins 1-2 days after the caterpillars die ( Deacon , 1983) . Insect pathogenic fungus is easily propagated and effective against armyworms . Application is done by spraying spores at a dose of 500 l / ha . This fungus LC50 values for instar armyworm IIIsebesar 1,471 x 106 spores / ml ( Suparjiyem et al . , 2006) .
Steinernema
and Heterorhabditis nematodes are capable of infecting a variety of
insects for each mutualistic symbiotic - pathogenic bacteria
Xenorhabdatus and Photorhabdus in the digestive tract ( Kaya and Gaugler
, 1993) . Stadia
called third instar infective juveniles ( JI ) live freely in the soil ,
into the insect body through the mouth hole , anus , or spiracles and
inter- segment membranes integument ( U Mass Extension , 2000) In the
insect body cavity , JI releasing bacteria symbionts . The
bacteria multiply , killing the insect through the process of insect
blood poisoning ( septicemia ) and provide appropriate environmental
conditions for growth and reproduction of the nematode . After 1-2 weeks , the newly formed JI left dead insect bodies and searching for a new host . Steinernema and Heterorhabditis effective against armyworms . At a dose of 500 JI / tail worms , two nematode species are able to kill armyworms 98 % ( Chaerani and Suryadi , 1999) . Nematodes applied in the field with a dose of 109 JI / ha ( Biogen , 2004) .
NPV (nuclear - polyhedrosis virus ) is a rod-shaped virus and insect pathogens present in the inclusion body called polyhedra . Polyhedra
shaped faceted crystals , found in the nucleus of cells of susceptible
insect host , such as hemolimfa , fat body , hypodermis , and tracheal
matrix . NPV
has beneficial properties , such as: a ) a specific host , b ) does not
harm the natural enemies , humans , and the environment , ( c ) can
overcome the problem of pest resistance to insecticides , and (b ) is
compatible with other IPM tactics , including chemical insecticides ( Arifin et al . , 1995) .
SlNPV
infected armyworm ( Spodoptera litura nuclear - polyhedrosis virus )
looks greasy , accompanied by the integument membranes swell and change
color becomes pale - reddish body , especially on the abdomen . Caterpillars
tend to creep up to the top of the plant and then die in a state of
quasi- hang with a foot on parts of the plant . Bioinsektisida
SlNPV at a dose of 500 g / ha ( equivalent to 1.5 x 1011 Pibs / ha )
were applied twice in an interval of a week , each with a dose of 250 g /
ha , effective against ulatgrayak in soybean . The SlNPV treatment lowers the caterpillar population and 91 %
lower yield loss save 14 % higher than the insecticide treatment (
Arifin et al . , 1995) .
Insect
Pheromones are compounds produced by female insects and is a means of
communication with other insects of the same species . Pheromones are used by insects for sexual attraction , gather , scatter , laying eggs , and warning signs . Special
sex pheromones , there are four usefulness in pest control programs ,
namely as a trap , flight monitoring , detection and monitoring of the
population , as well as nuisance insects marriage for males ( Williamson
, 1999) . Generally
these compounds are not used effectively to control pests , but is used
as a material traps in monitoring pest populations . Scientists
have been able to analyze the chemistry of sex pheromones and produce
it synthetically in the laboratory ( Suharto , 1996) . A total of three sex pheromone traps containing soybean mounted at
the age of 1-5 weeks were able to attract as many armyworm moths
417-615/ha ( Chiu et al . , 1993) .
Environmental
factors , particularly solar rays 290 to 400 nm , can inactivate insect
pathogens ( bacteria , fungi , viruses , and protozoa ) . Half-life
of various types of inoculum ( conidia , spores , virions , and toxins )
are exposed to solar rays reached in 1 hour for insect pathogens
sensitive and 96 hours for insect resistant pathogens ( Ignoffo , 1992) .