The quick finish for winter cereals this season has resulted in the majority of crops escaping infestations of armyworm. Headers are already into some fields, but there are reports of armyworm making their presence felt in some of the later crops.
Over the past couple of weeks there have been numerous reports of armyworm in both barley and wheat. The appearance of armyworm in wheat raises a number of questions: 1) Do they behave the same way in wheat as in barley in relation to the type of damage they cause 2) what is their damage potential and is there an… Read more »
Both Helicoverpa armigera and armyworm larvae are occurring together in wheat and barley. It is important to be able to separate the helicoverpa larvae from the armyworm larvae in order to determine whether the numbers are above or below threshold, and, if needed, to make the most appropriate decision about control options. Armyworm larvae have three white stripes on… Read more »
With the current high value of barley, growers should closely monitor armyworm infestations as crops approach maturity. Armyworms are important pests in southern Queensland where they attack winter cereals, particularly barley and oats, in September and October. Larvae appear in plague proportions in some years, and are patchy in others. Head cutting by large larvae can lead to serious losses… Read more »