Performance of Jamaica’s beet armyworm pest risk assessment tool to support early warning in outbreak prone areas, growing Allium spp. (onion and scallion/Welsh onion)

Presenting Author(s)

Michelle A. Sherwood

Old Harbour, JAM

Co-Author(s)

SB

Sherry-Ann Brown, Bsc Msc.

Chief Plant Protection Officer (Acting)
Research and Development Division, Ministry of Industry Commerce Agriculture and Fisheries
Old Harbour, Saint Catherine, Jamaica
MY

Marina Young

Principal Director, Technical Services
Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)
Kingston, Saint Andrew, Jamaica
CH

Christopher Haughton

Plant Protection Officer
Research and Development Division
Kingston, Saint Andrew, Jamaica
RM

Ronald Moody

Climate Change Officer
Climate Change Branch, Meteorological Office of Jamaica
KIngston, Kingston, Jamaica

Outbreaks of Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae;) 2009 and 2017 mainly scallion/Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum) and onion (A. cepa) crops. This impacted agriculture extension areas, located in South St. Elizabeth and South Manchester, Jamaica with crops loss valuing at approximately J$140M/year. The approach to managing the pest has been successful with support from local government and International agencies such as the FAO (United Nations). To further strengthen the management programme, an Early Warning, Beet Armyworm Risk Assessment Tool was developed between November 2017 and February 2018. This tool was developed by the Research and Development Division in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and the Meteorological Office of Jamaica. The performance of the tool was evaluated between February 2018 and February 2020 in four phases: Phase 1: a score was assigned from 1 to 10 to nine risk parameters (weather, pest and crop care) collected monthly from 45 to 47 farms in affected areas. In Phase 2, the data was calculated against a weighted score/parameter to determine the pest risk level from 1 to 4 (1-Low; 2 – Medium; 3- Moderate; 4- High) per extension area. A Risk Report and Pest Advisory were prepared in Phase 3 and disseminated to agriculture extension officers and over 3000 farmers via print and electronic media. In Phase 4: Monitoring and Evaluation were conducted. Findings on the performance of the Beet Armyworm Risk Assessment tool are presented, that support integration in the holistic management of this pest.