The National Service of Agrifood Health and Quality (Senasa) of Argentina published in the Official Gazette the resolution 1,033 / 2019, which extends the phytosanitary emergency over the locust plague, commonly known as South American locust (Schistocerca cancellata), until August 31, 2021. The emergency measure had been taken in July 2017.
With this new resolution, the exceptional use of insecticides to combat the pest has also been extended: Cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, Lambda-cyhalothrin, Diflubenzuron and Fipronil. In the same document, the use of active ingredients for the control of the “Tucura Quebrachera” pest (Tropidacris collaris) has also been authorized.
The measure has been argued by the “new demographic explosion of the South American locust plague in the Republic of Paraguay, which has reached Argentina, dispersing in the form of sleeves in the regions of the Argentine Northeast and the Argentine Northwest of our country”. “And that the typical distribution of this insect has been limited to localities of the Provinces of Santiago del Estero and Chaco, and the records of the catches of recent years indicate that the plague has spread to areas of the Provinces of Santa Fe, from Entre Ríos and San Luis, and to the town of Pergamino, in the province of Buenos Aires.”
Regarding the Tucura, it has been stated that “during the year 2018 and the course of 2019, there was a significant population increase of the plague in the provinces of Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Catamarca del Chaco and Salta, causing damage to the soybean, corn, cotton and sorghum crops, as well as native forests and pastures”.
“Any person responsible or in charge of farms and/or livestock, must allow official agents to carry out or supervise the control of the established activities,” said Senasa.
Source: Agropages