Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

Project Progress Report

029/05VIE
Implementation of the IPM program using weaver ants as
a major component for cashew growers in Vietnam MS5: THIRD SIX-MONTHLY REPORT

Renkang Peng, Keith Christian and La Pham Lan
7 September 2007

1
Table of Contents

1. Institute Information ___________________________________________________ 2
2. Project Abstract _______________________________________________________ 3
3. Executive Summary ____________________________________________________ 3
4. Introduction & Background _____________________________________________ 4

Charles Darwin University
Australian Personnel
Prof. Keith Christian and Dr Renkang Peng
Date commenced
February 2006
Completion date (original)
January 2009
Completion date (revised)

Reporting period
March 2007 – August 2007

Contact Officer(s)
In Australia: Team Leader
Name:
Keith Christian
Telephone:
61 8 89466706
Position:
Professor
Fax:
61 8 89466847
Organisation
Charles Darwin
University
Email:


In Australia: Administrative contact
Name:

2. Project Abstract

Cashew is a very important crop in Vietnam, and the government has designated cashew
development as a national priority. Productivity of cashew has increased since 2002, but the
extensive use of pesticides has caused health problems to farmers, their animals and the
environment. The cashew IPM program using weaver ants as a key component developed at
Charles Darwin University (CDU) does not use toxic insecticides, but results in high yield.
This project is to use the CDU cashew IPM to develop and implement a cashew IPM program
that will work under Vietnamese conditions. The proposed activities of the third 6 months of
the project have been achieved. The first year TOT training at two training centres has been
successfully completed. The second year TOT training at the two training centres started in
August 2007. A total of 56 trainees from 9 main cashew-growing provinces have participated
in the second TOT training. Two demonstration orchards have been running well. A FFS
training program has been composed, and FFS training will be conducted from September
2007. The draft of the cashew IPM curriculum will be completed in December. Selection of

in IPM plot were cleaner and shiner than those in farmer’s plot. This suggests that

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weaver ants are either better or similar to insecticide control. The data analyses for
Dong Nai demonstration orchard are in progress. Although there was a hiccup with
the demonstration orchard at Dong Nai province in July 2007, we have been offered
another orchard owned by the same farmer to conduct our experiments for the TOT
training. We have used the same field design for this orchard as we had for the
previous one. Weaver ant colonies will be transplanted into the orchard in October
2007.
FFS training will be started in September 2007. After completing the first year
TOT training, with strong support from provincial sub-PPDs, the TOT graduates have
been busy selecting cashew growers from all stakeholder groups in their local region
to participate in FFSs, and to prepare teaching materials. A FFS training program has
been composed based on the extensive experience and discussion between TOT
master trainers and TOT graduates.
The development of the cashew IPM curriculum and posters is progressing
smoothly. During this reporting period, the IPM curriculum development has
concentrated on the data collection from regular monitoring of the demonstration
orchards. A total of 33 photos have been obtained for the preparation of cashew IPM
posters. The drafts of the curriculum and the posters will be ready for comments and
suggestions in December 2007.
The training report of the first period of the second year TOT training is
attached as Appendix 2.
4. Introduction & Background
The aims of this project are to increase cashew yield and improve nut quality by using
weaver ants and by using no toxic insecticides. Specific objectives are (1) to conduct
TOT training in cashew IPM for TOT trainers to conduct FFSs in their local region,
(2) to develop an IPM cashew curriculum and a series of illustrative posters that will
work in Vietnamese conditions based on the cashew IPM programs developed in

I (i) Identification of regions within each of the 6 participating provinces to be
targeted for the program

A total of 30 cashew-growing regions, each of which consists of several villages,
from 8 main cashew growing provinces (two more provinces than we initially
proposed) for the FFS training have been identified. The detailed information is given
in our first 6-monthly report.

I (ii) Selection of IPM trainers from each targeted region to undertake TOT
training in cashew IPM

For the first year TOT training, we selected 56 IPM trainers from 8 sub-PPDs (see our
first 6-monthly report for detail). For the second year TOT training, we have selected
56 IPM trainers from 9 cashew-growing provinces to undertake TOT training in
cashew IPM (Table 1). Due to strong requests from sub-PPDs of Tra Vinh and Tay
Ninh provinces, we have selected some IPM trainers from these two provinces for this
cashew IPM training.

I (iii) TOT training in cashew IPM

During this reporting period from February 2007 to August 2007, we conducted the
final training of the first year TOT training and the first period training of the second
year TOT training as planned.

The final training of the first year TOT training took place in May 2007 at both Dong
Nai and Binh Phuoc training centres. This training occurred during the period of late
cashew harvest season, and so, the training concentrated on cashew harvest, the use of
weaver ants in farmer’s orchards, summarisation of the IPM methods for different
cashew growing periods, communication skills and activation methods in class. The
courses we delivered are tabulated in Table 2. The TOT Trainees were interested in

from the first year TOT trainees, we have modified our training courses and training
days for each course for the second year TOT training (Table 3). The first period of
the second year TOT training was conducted from 20 to 26 August 2007 in the Dong
Nai training centre and from 23 to 29 August 2007 in the Binh Phuoc training centre.
This training concentrated on three aspects: the main cashew insect pests and their
natural enemies by emphasizing the role of weaver ants in cashew orchards,
integrated pest management principles and general cashew cultivation including the
use of fertilizers and pesticides (Table 4, also see Appendix 2 for the training report).
The trainees were fully convinced by the field observations and field data collected by
themselves in the demonstration orchard, showing that weaver ants were very
effective in controlling the major cashew pests of shoot borers and coreid bugs (the
major pests at this time of year). Course teachers demonstrated the results based on
the regular monitoring data in the Binh Phuoc demonstration orchard over the last
cropping season, showing that the weaver ant plot achieved better or similar results to
the insecticide plot (farmer’s plot) in terms of the number of foliar and floral flushing
shoots and the flushing shoots damaged by the tea mosquito bug, the shoot borer, the
fruit borer and the aphid. These results, plus their own observations, have built up
trainees’ interest in the cashew IPM training. Trainees were also interested in the
courses related to IPM principles and general cashew cultivation. They were satisfied
with our training methods as well.

Management of demonstration orchards

In general, two demonstration orchards have been running well. After weaver ant
colonies were transplanted in late November 2006 in the Binh Phuoc demonstration
orchard, regular monitoring on the abundance of weaver ants and the main insect
pests between the IPM plot and the farmer’s plot has been progressing smoothly. The

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results from last cashew season were interesting, and are shown in Table 5. It shows

provide detailed information about each training topic (Appendix 3). After completing
the first year TOT training, with strong support from provincial sub-PPDs, the TOT
graduates have been busy selecting cashew growers from all stakeholder groups in
their local region to participate in FFS, and to prepare teaching materials. Based on
the information from sub-PPDs, FFSs will be started in September 2007. The progress
of the FFS activity will be reported in our next 6-monthly report.

5.1 Implementation Highlights (Activity III)

The activity III is the progress of the IPM curriculum development. The development
of cashew IPM curriculum is progressing smoothly. It has mainly concentrated on the
data collection from regular monitoring of the IPM plots and farmer’s plots during the
period of monsoon flush (III (i)), pre-flowering and fruiting flush (III (ii)) and cashew
harvest (III (iii)). The results from the data collected at Binh Phuoc demonstration
orchard during the flowering and fruiting periods of the last cropping season are
shown in Table 5. These results will be included in the cashew IPM curriculum. The
data analyses for the Dong Nai demonstration orchard are still in progress.

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In addition to this, we have also collected some more data from field observations
and laboratory rearing for the following chapters of the cashew IPM curriculum
during the period of cashew pre-flowering and flowering flush:
- The main cashew insect pests and diseases, and
- Common natural enemies.

5.1 Implementation Highlights (Activity IV)

Activity IV is the development of cashew IPM posters. Photos, diagrams and graphs
from field surveys, monitoring, observations and experiments conducted in
demonstration orchards have been reported for the cashew monsoon flush (IV(i)) (see

Peng has worked out a control strategy (weaver ants, pruning and light-trapping) to
manage the branch borer that has been one of the major concerns by all cashew
growers in Vietnam. He has already passed this knowledge to IAS project staff.

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5.4 Publicity
The project activities including TOT training have been reported by local media and
agricultural News Papers of Vietnam. AusAID and MARD logos have been displayed
in all our activities.
5.5 Project Management
The project leader. Mr Lan, is in charge of Vietnamese personnel and expenses of the
project. He will be also managing two training centres and the demonstration orchards
with the help from two experimentalists. Professor Keith Christian and Dr Renkang
Peng are responsible for the overall coordination of the project and will meet
reporting requirements with input from Vietnamese personnel as required. Dr Peng
has been monitoring all the activities of the project, and he is also responsible for
checking the progress of the IPM program implementation, for the part of the TOT
training and for the field data analyses.
6. Report on Cross-Cutting Issues
6.1 Environment
According to our baseline survey, the use of pesticides has already caused a negative
effect on cashew farmers’ health, farm animals and the environment, as reported in
our first 6-monthly report. Significant improvement of the environment and farmers’
health will be achieved by implementing this cashew IPM program. For example,
after we transplanted weaver ant colonies into our demonstration orchards in
November 2006, we did not use any pesticides during the period of cashew flowering
and fruiting. The orchard owners told us that cashew nuts produced in the IPM plot
were shiny and cleaner than the nuts produced in their own managed plot. They
believe that the cashew IPM program will certainly improve their health and the
farming environment.

4. Complete the draft of the cashew IPM curriculum, and
5. Complete the draft of the cashew IPM posters.
9. Conclusion
The proposed activities for the third 6 months of the project have been achieved.
The first year TOT training was successfully completed in May 2007. The
final training of the first year TOT training took place in May 2007 at both Dong Nai
and Binh Phuoc training centres. At the end of this training, we conducted an
examination with 15 practical questions covering all training aspects and a class
survey with questionnaires. All trainees correctly answered the 15 practical questions.
The class survey showed that the trainees, in general, were satisfactory with all the
courses we delivered, especially the 5 highest ranking courses. They are all able to use
cashew IPM methods appropriately, and they have confidence in opening FFS.
The second year TOT training started in August 2007. We have selected 56
IPM trainers from 9 cashew-growing provinces. Based on our first year TOT training
experience and the comments and suggestions from the first year TOT graduates, we
have modified our training courses and training days for each course for the second
year TOT training. The first period of the second year TOT training was conducted
from 20 to 26 August 2007 in Dong Nai training centre and from 23 to 29 August
2007 in Binh Phuoc training centre. Under the supervision of TOT master trainers, the
trainees were fully convinced by the field observations and field data collected by
themselves in the demonstration orchard or in field surveys that weaver ants were
effective in controlling the major cashew pests. This has built up trainees’ interest in
the cashew IPM training, and the trainees were also satisfied with our training
methods.
In general, two demonstration orchards have been running well. The results
from last cashew season at Binh Phuoc site suggest that weaver ants are either better
or similar to insecticide control. The data analyses for Dong Nai demonstration
orchard are in progress.

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Tay Ninh 4
Tra Vinh 4
Total 56

Table 2. Training courses and course teachers in the final period of the first year
TOT training.

Course name Course teacher
Harvest Mr Tu
Summarisation of using weaver ants in farmers’
orchards
Mr Lan and Dr Peng
Summarization of the IPM methods for different
cashew growing periods (a check list provided)
Mr Lan and Dr Peng
Communication skills Mrs Lan
Activation of class Mrs Sau
A small test (15 questions) Mr Lan
A class survey Mr Lan and Dr Peng
Close ceremony Mr Lan, etc.
Table 3. Training topics, topic teachers and training frequency for the second year
TOT training.
Topic
code
Title of the topic Topic teacher Training
frequency
T1 General cashew cultivation Mr Binh 2
T2 Practice on cashew cultivation
including harvest
Mr Binh and Mr Tu 2

and the effect of chemicals on
human beings and the
environment
Dr Hai 1
T14 Skills of communication with
people (mainly farmers)
Mrs. Sau and Mrs. Lan 2

Table 4. Training courses and course teachers in the first period of the second year
TOT training.

Course name Course teacher
Cashew insect pests and their natural
enemies
Dr Peng, Mr Lan and Mr Binh
The effect of weaver ants on the main
cashew insect pests
Dr Peng, Mr Lan and Mr Binh
General cashew cultivation including the
use of fertilizers and insecticides
Mr Binh, Mr Hien and Dr Hai
IPM principles Dr Cuc

Table 5. The number of flushing shoots and % shoots damaged by the main insect
pests between Farmer’s plot and the IPM plot at Binh Phuoc site, December 2006 –
April 2007.

Category Farmer’s plot IPM plot Friedman two-way
ANOVA
Number of flushing


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Appendix 1
Results of the first year TOT trainees’ survey based on 50 (out of 56) trainees
answering sheets at the end of the training, May 2007
A. Evaluation of courses and their practicals

1. Course name: General introduction of cashew production, cashew botany & variety
selection

Category* Average ranks
Comments on course contents
2.1
Comments on teaching and discussion methods
2.4
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.3
Comments on practice
2.9
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.9
Amount of time for field practice
3.1
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.9
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory.

2. Course name: Cashew cultivation


2.6
Amount of time for field practice
3.1
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.9
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory. 14
4. Course name
: Cashew diseases and their control

Category* Average ranks
Comments on course contents
2.0
Comments on teaching and discussion methods
2.7
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.4
Comments on practice
2.9
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.9
Amount of time for field practice
3.0
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.8
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory.

Comments on practice
2.5
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.5
Amount of time for field practice
2.6
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.4
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory.

7. Course name: Effect of weaver ants on the main cashew insect pests

Category* Average ranks
Comments on course contents
1.5
Comments on teaching and discussion methods
1.9
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.1
Comments on practice
2.3
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.3
Amount of time for field practice
2.6
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.4

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Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.3
Comments on practice
2.7
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.5
Amount of time for field practice
2.8
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.6
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory.

10. Course name: Biology of weaver ants

Category* Average ranks
Comments on course contents
1.7
Comments on teaching and discussion methods
2.1
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.2
Comments on practice
2.5
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.3
Amount of time for field practice
2.5
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.4

Comments on teaching and discussion methods
2.6
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.6
Comments on practice
3.1
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.9
Amount of time for field practice
3.2
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.8
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory.

13. Course name: Pesticide use in the IPM system

Category* Average ranks
Comments on course contents
2.0
Comments on teaching and discussion methods
2.3
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.3
Comments on practice
2.9
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.5
Amount of time for field practice
2.9


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Comments on teaching and discussion methods
2.1
Usefulness in cashew orchard management
2.2
Comments on practice
2.4
Amount of time for teaching & discussion
2.4
Amount of time for field practice
2.5
Balance of theoretical and practical knowledge
2.3
*: 1 = Very satisfactory; 2 = Satisfactory; 3 = Good; 4 = unsatisfactory; 5 = very
unsatisfactory.

B. Confidence in using cashew IPM methods in farmers’ orchards

1 (%) 2 (%) 3 (%) 4 (%) 5 (%)
0.0 54.0 46.0 0.0 0.0
1 = very confident; 2 = confident; 3 = good; 4 = less confident; 5 = not confident

C. Confidence in opening FFS after this TOT training

1 (%) 2 (%) 3 (%) 4 (%) 5 (%)
8.0 54.0 38.0 0.0 0.0
1 = very confident; 2 = confident; 3 = good; 4 = less confident; 5 = not confident
the major cashew insect pests. The trainees were fully convinced by the field data
collected by themselves in our demonstration orchard and by field observations
showing that weaver ants were very effective in controlling the most important
cashew pests of shoot borers and the coreid bug (the most important pests at this time
of year). Therefore, the first period of training has already built-up the trainees’
confidence in using weaver ants as a major component to control the main cashew
insect pests. For most trainees, these courses were the first time they have had
opportunities to see a range of cashew pests. It is worthwhile mentioning that at the
end of this training, all the trainees who own cashew orchards wish to use weaver ants
in their orchards as soon as possible. For those who do not have cashew orchards,
they believe that farmers will certainly gain a lot of benefits if they start using weaver
ants in their orchards.

Course 3. General cashew cultivation

This course and its practicals were delivered by Mr Binh, Mr Hien and Dr Hai. The
main objectives of the course were to let the trainees
(1) understand the present cashew production and its constraints in Vietnam,
(2) become familiar with the structure of the cashew ecosystem ,
(3) understand the cashew botany, and

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(4) learn general cashew cultivation skills.
The course ran smoothly with the activities related to the following: physical factors
required by cashew trees, the effect of growing densities on tree performance, the
establishment of cashew orchards, the basic farming skills to manage cashew
orchards, cashew variety selection, the principles of fertilizer application and the
appropriate use of insecticides. For insecticide use, the course teacher gave trainees
information about characteristics of various groups of pesticides and pointed out the
advantages and disadvantages of each group in relation to the effectiveness to the

gained in this TOT training and the data collected from the demonstration orchards
and field surveys. 20
Appendix 3

Farmer Field School Training Program

Part 1 Selection of demonstration orchard

a. Site selection
Within a farmer’s orchard, chose a small group of trees (8 – 10) with a weaver
ant colony and also chose the same number of trees without weaver ants as a
comparison.
b. Trees with weaver ants will be managed by the IPM program and trees
without the ants will be managed by the farmer as they normally do.
c. The farmer will be responsible for the maintenance of these trees during the
period of the FFS
Part 2 Frequency of farmer field school training
Cashew tree development Month Frequency No. of
training
During tree dormancy period September Twice / month 2
During pre-flowering flush October – mid
November
Twice / month 2
Flowering and fruiting Mid November-
January
Twice / month 3
Fruiting and Harvesting February - April Once / month 2
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Flowering, nut
setting and fruiting
(the dry season)
November –
January
1. Management of weaver ants for pest control;
2. Monitoring of the main insect pests and
diseases;
3. Spot-spraying of soft chemicals to control
scales and mealy bugs if needed;
4. Spraying of fungicides to control diseases if
needed;
5. Irrigation if applicable;
6. Micro-nutrient application if needed
Harvest and post
harvest (late dry
season and
beginning of the wet
season)
February –
April
1. Management of weaver ants for pest control;
2. Cleaning of weeds and grass at the tree base
to promote harvest;
3. Collecting nuts as frequently as possible;
4. Drying and storing;
Part 4 Detailed information for each training topic

3.
Controlling stem and branch borers22
a. Use of light traps to kill adults (Set out light traps between April and June to
trap branch borer adults)
b. Detection of early damage symptoms of stem and branch borers on young and
old trees
c. Treatment of early damaged parts on trees
a. For stem borers, scrape off all the damaged material on the tree trunk
including larvae and pupae, and then use appropriate chemicals to
paint on the affected parts
b. For branch borers, prune mature shoots with the damage symptoms
during the period of July and August, and destroy the pruned shoots.
For old damage on branches, follow boring holes from the top of
branch downwards and determine the last hole along the branch, and
then inject contact-killing insecticides into the hole with a syringe
before blocking the hole with a bit of cotton
4. Pruning

a. Pruning principles (what kinds of branches and twigs need to be pruned)
b. Pruning time
c. Pruning tools (use of saws, rather than knife)
d. Pruned branches and twigs should be put under the base of each tree for a few
days to allow weaver ants to walk back to the tree

5. Fertilizing and micro nutrients

a. Time and amount of using fertilizers based on tree age and tree performance