Phytosanitary warning of "giant locust" was released in Argentina

The National Agro-food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) declared a phytosanitary alert for the pest Tropidacris collaris Stoll (commonly called "tucura falechera") throughout the Territory of Argentina.

The measure, which will be in force until March 31, 2021, is provided for in Resolution 568/2020, which was published in the Official Gazette of the Union on Wednesday (19), with the signature of the president of Senasa, Carlos Paz, and aims to implement comprehensive coordinated management measures to reduce the impact of the pest.

Through the monitoring actions of the Senasa Gafanhoto and Tucuras National Program, territorial advances of the plague were detected in the provinces of Santa Fé, Entre Ríos, San Luis and the city of Pergamino, Buenos Aires and a population increase in the provinces of Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Santa Fé, Catamarca, Chaco and Salta, causing damage to soybean, corn, cotton and sorghum crops, as well as native forests and pastures.

The regulation also establishes the obligation to immediately report the presence of the pest to Senasa. This applies to any person responsible or in charge of agricultural and/or livestock farms, national, provincial or municipal health authorities, or people who - for any circumstance - detect the presence of tucura falechera specimens. Likewise, if necessary, they must control the pest, using the active ingredients authorized by Senasa for control.

Tucuras are polyphagous insects that feed on almost all plants, including plantations, pastures and native flora. Therefore, they can affect agricultural activity directly and livestock farming indirectly, as it affects the availability of forage resources.