Fall armyworm detected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has officially announced the first finding of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in maize plants. First reported in 27 October 2021, a low infestation rate was detected in two different governorates, namely Najran and Al-Kora. The Ministry has implemented phytosanitary measures including destroying the infested maize crops, installing traps around the two infested sites and spraying the neighboring crops with appropriate pesticides.