scholarly journals Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): A recent threat and future management strategy in Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-164
Author(s):  
S. Gahatraj ◽  
S. Tiwari ◽  
S. Sharma ◽  
L. Kafle

Abstract. Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is an invasive pest of maize including other cultivated crops such as rice, wheat, and many other vegetables. This invasive species was initially noticed in North-America and later reported in many countries of Africa in early 2016. In South Asia, this has been reported for the first time in India followed by Srilanka in 2018 and Bangladesh, China, Taiwan and Nepal in 2019. It is polyphagous in nature and damage has been reported in more than 80 plant species. The loss has to lead up to 50-80% in maize in severe situation. FAW is a distant flyer and can fly more than 100 km in a night and spread well in crop fields. As this pest is already invasive in many states of India and the likelihood of entry and spreading in Nepal is higher because of the open border between the countries and flexible government quarantine policy. The great socio-economic loss has been forecasted once this pest has received invasive status in Nepal. Recently, this crop has been confirmed by Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) in Gaidakot area of Nawalpur district, Nepal and has been noticed in almost all parts of Nepal such as Sidhuli, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Tanahun and Rupendehi districts. However, this information has not been endorsed by Nepal Plant Protection Office (NPPO), an official invasive species endorsing organization in Nepal. This species is spreading rapidly in maize growing areas and significant losses have been reported in maize crop by the farmers. The regular scouting, surveillance, and monitoring can be suggested to evaluate the pest status in the crop field. Habitat manipulation with the deployment of deterring crops ‘push’ such as desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum) and pest-attracting crop ‘pull’ such as Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) and Sudan grass (Sorghum vulgare sudanense) is suggested in a ‘push-pull strategy’, the most popular and successful method of FAW management in the maize field. Field sanitation, and conserving pest’s natural enemies are other integrated approaches. However, in a commercial maize field, a group of ‘soft’ and selective chemicals have been suggested for immediate control of this pest. This review compiled the recent informations available on FAW and is useful for farmers, researchers and policy makers to draw a roadmap for the future FAW management in Nepal.

Author(s):  
P.S. Shanmugam ◽  
M. Sangeetha ◽  
P. Ayyadurai ◽  
Y.G. Prasad

Background: Maize is one of the predominant millets cultivated in an area of 6500 ha both under drip and open irrigation systems in Dharmapuri district. The infestation of invasive insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda poses major threat to maize cultivation and increased the cost towards plant protection since 2018. In the integrated pest management strategies, the benefits of growing border and inter crop has been studied in detail but least emphasis was given to the crops grown in adjacent fields to the main crop. The cropping pattern in Dharmapuri district is highly diversified and the farmers prefer to grow more number of crops across the seasons compared to other maize growing areas. Methods: The present survey envisages the influence of adjacent and border crops on the incidence of fall armyworm in maize. The field incidence of fall armyworm in maize crop surrounded by other crops such as tapioca, nerium, cotton and maize fields with blackgram, cowpea and sesame as border crops were studied during kharif season of 2018 and 2019. Result: The maize fields surrounded by tapioca and nerium crop recorded lower fall armyworm incidence (3.00 - 10.00%) followed by field surrounded by tapioca on either side of maize (4.50 - 14.50%) during 15 to 60 days after emergence. Growing of border crops such as blackgram, sesame and cowpea recorded 24.50, 23.50 and 16.50% incidence at 60 DAE, respectively. With regard to grain yield, no marked variation was observed in different crop combination. The higher return (Rs. 86040/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.65) was observed in maize crop adjacent to tapioca and nerium crop. The lower net return (Rs. 75360/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.36) was realized in maize crop adjacent to maize crop. In most of the management strategies pulses have been inducted either border or intercrop to attract natural enemies and thwart the host insects. In the present survey, tapioca and nerium crop combination reduces the fall armyworm incidence. Hence tapioca and nerium crop combinations can be tried as border crop to push the fall armyworm away from the maize crop. The days required for advanced planting and crop combinations should be studied in detail to devise effective fall armyworm management strategies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omprakash Navik ◽  
Jagadeesh Patil

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an invasive pest of maize and first time reported in July 2018 from Karnataka, India. Presently, this pest has made havoc on maize crop in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. This pest is an American origin and polyphagous in nature feeds on more than 80 plant species. It prefers to feed on maize crop, however in the absence of maize it feeds on sugarcane, sorghum, rice, cabbage, soybean, onion, tomato, potato and cotton. Life cycle of this pest completes within 32 to 46 days on maize under the favorable conditions. First two instars of S. frugiperda feed on the leaves and later instars moves inside the leaf whorl and starts feeding by leaving frass around the damaged area. For the management of this pest, an adaptation of integrated pest management approach is needed. Integrating, bioagents like egg parasistoids, Trichogramma pretiosum and Telenomus sp. and for larval stages by entompathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae, Nomuraea rileyi (=Metarhizium rileyi, bacteria, (Bt) and entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis indica are useful options. However, need based application of insecticides like emamectin benzoate can be used for successful management of this pest.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhmad Rizali ◽  
Oktaviyani Oktaviyani ◽  
Sachristy Putri ◽  
Meygalintang Doananda ◽  
Asti Linggani

Abstract. Rizali A, Oktaviyani, Putri SDPS, Doananda M, Linggani A. 2021. Invasion of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda, a new invasive pest, alters native herbivore attack intensity and natural enemy diversity. Biodiversitas 22: 3482-3488. A new invasive alien pest, fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda has been reported widely spread in Indonesia since 2019 and can cause a serious problem in maize cultivation. Its invasion of new habitat may severely impact not only maize production but also native biodiversity including other native pests. This research was aimed to investigate the effect of S. frugiperda invasion on the attack intensity of native herbivores as well as the diversity of natural enemies in maize fields. Field research was conducted in twelve maize fields spread across the district of Malang, Kediri, and Batu, East Java, Indonesia. In each maize field, sampling of S. frugiperda and other insects was conducted by the hand-picking method within four transects with each transect consisting of 100 plants. The results found five species of lepidopteran pests including S. frugiperda, Ostrinia furnacalis, Helicoverpa armigera, Mycalesis sp, and Chrysodeixes sp. S. frugiperda was found with higher attack intensity than other lepidopteran pests. Based on the analysis, the attack intensity of S. frugiperda had a positive relationship with pesticide application and was marginally correlated with plant age and elevation. The infestation of S. frugiperda significantly reduced the attack intensity of other lepidopteran pests as well as the diversity of natural enemies, especially predators. Two native species of parasitoid wasps, Telenomus sp and Mymaridae sp were recorded parasitizing the eggs of S. frugiperda. In conclusion, the infestation of S. frugiperda causes biotic homogenization in the maize field by directly compete with other lepidopteran pests and indirectly eliminate the natural enemy diversity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
I WAYAN Supartha ◽  
I WAYAN SUSILA ◽  
ANAK AGUNG AYU AGUNG SRI SUNARI ◽  
I. G. FEBRI MAHAPUTRA ◽  
I KADEK WISMA YUDHA ◽  
...  

Abstract. Supartha IW, Susila IW, Sunari AAAAS, Mahaputra IGF, Yudha IKW, Wiradana PA. 2021. Damage characteristics and distribution patterns of invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on maize crop in Bali, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 3378-3387. The Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a destructive crop pest native to North and South America which has now been reported to have spread to Indonesia. This study aims to ensure the attack and spread of invasive pests FAW on corn crops in Bali. In addition, it also studied population structure, age structure, and percentage of attacks on maize crops in high altitude areas in Bali, Indonesia. The research was conducted using survey methods. A sampling of plants is carried out in all districts and cities in the Province of Bali by diagonal sampling. The sample unit size is 5 m × 5 m with the number of plants observed being 150 plants. The score of plant damage at the age of 4 weeks after planting (WAP) plants has a "very heavy" attack intensity value. Areas of upper leaves or young leaves most affected by S. frugiperda attack in the field. The results showed that pest FAW has been entering and attacking maize crops in Bali since January 2020 as the first report. At the beginning of the entry was only found in some lowland locations, especially in Tabanan and Jembrana regency, but within the next 4 months, it has spread evenly in all districts and cities in Bali province. Adults populations and egg groups of FAW were found to peak by the time the corn crop was 2 weeks old after planting while the larval population reached its peak by the time the plant was 4 WAP The highest percentage of FAW attacks is in altitude areas below 250 meters above sea level (masl) with an average attack per observation plot of 47.84%. This research is the first to report on FAW attacks on maize crops in Bali Province since January 2020 and adds to our knowledge of FAW pests on maize crops in Bali Province.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huan Liu ◽  
Tianming Lan ◽  
Dongming Fang ◽  
Furong Gui ◽  
Hongli Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractThe fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a severely destructive pest native to the Americas, but has now become an alien invasive pest in China, and causes significant economic loss. Therefore, in order to make effective management strategies, it is highly essential to understand genomic architecture and its genetic background. In this study, we assembled two chromosome scale genomes of the fall armyworm, representing one male and one female individual procured from Yunnan province of China. The genome sizes were identified as 542.42 Mb with N50 of 14.16 Mb, and 530.77 Mb with N50 of 14.89 Mb for the male and female FAW, respectively. We predicted about 22,201 genes in the male genome. We found the expansion of cytochrome P450 and glutathione s-transferase gene families, which are functionally related to the intensified detoxification and pesticides tolerance. Further population analyses of corn strain (C strain) and rice strain (R strain) revealed that the Chinese fall armyworm was most likely invaded from Africa. These strain information, genome features and possible invasion source described in this study will be extremely important for making effective strategies to manage the fall armyworms.


2022 ◽  
Vol 951 (1) ◽  
pp. 012010
Author(s):  
I W Supartha ◽  
I W Susila ◽  
K A Yuliadhi ◽  
E S M Haloho ◽  
I K W Yudha ◽  
...  

Abstract The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an invasive pest from America and has recently become an important pest in Indonesia. In their new environment, these pests have very high migratory and adaptive skills, as well as aggressive feeding habits. The aim of this research was to monitor the distribution, percentage of attacks, and damage caused by S. frugiperda on maize fields in the Karo District of North Sumatra Province. The study was conducted using a survey method at various altitudes and the sample unit was determined using the diagonal method. Each sample unit has a size of 2 × 2 m2. The age of maize crop used as the sample is 2-4; 5-6; 7-8; 9-10; and 11 weeks after planting (wap). Symptoms of attack, number of larvae population, and percentage of FAW attack were observed directly on plants. The results showed that FAW spread evenly at various altitudes, with the highest population at an altitude of 500-1,000 m.a.s.l at the age of 2-4 wap with a larval population density of 14.20 individual/unit sample. The highest percentage of attack was found at an altitude of 500-1,000 m.a.s.l, namely 82% at 2-4 wap. The highest attack on leaves occurred at an altitude of 500-1,000 m.a.s.l (70.6%) at the age of 2-4 wap.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1074
Author(s):  
Bonoukpoè Mawuko Sokame ◽  
Boaz Musyoka ◽  
Julius Obonyo ◽  
François Rebaudo ◽  
Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman ◽  
...  

The interactions among insect communities influence the composition of pest complexes that attack crops and, in parallel, their natural enemies, which regulate their abundance. The lepidopteran stemborers have been the major maize pests in Kenya. Their population has been regulated by natural enemies, mostly parasitoids, some of which have been used for biological control. It is not known how a new exotic invasive species, such as the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), may affect the abundance and parasitism of the resident stemborers. For this reason, pest and parasitism surveys have been conducted, before and after the FAW invaded Kenya, in maize fields in 40 localities across 6 agroecological zones (AEZs) during the maize-growing season, as well as at 3 different plant growth stages (pre-tasseling, reproductive, and senescence stages) in 2 elevations at mid-altitude, where all maize stemborer species used to occur together. Results indicated that the introduction of the FAW significantly correlated with the reduction of the abundance of the resident communities of maize stemborers and parasitoids in maize fields; moreover, the decrease of stemborer density after the arrival of FAW occurred mostly at both reproductive and senescent maize stages. It also suggests a possible displacement of stemborers by FAW elsewhere; for example, to other cereals. However, since this study was conducted only three years after the introduction of the FAW, further studies will need to be conducted to confirm such displacements.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan‐Ji Jiang ◽  
Bao‐Tong Mo ◽  
Hao Guo ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
Rui Tang ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Sumaira Yousaf ◽  
Abdul Rehman ◽  
Mariyam Masood ◽  
Kazam Ali ◽  
Nazia Suleman

AbstractThe fall armyworm (FAW), an invasive pest of maize, is an emerging threat in Southern Asia after America and Europe. Recently, this notorious pest has also been found in different areas of Pakistan. To assess its presence in Pakistan, a survey was carried out in the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during May–October 2019. We observed the highest incidence of FAW in Sindh with maximum impact in districts Tando-Allahyar and Hyderabad. These samples were identified as Spodoptera frugiperda on the morphological and taxonomical bases. However, morphological identification of this pest is very difficult at early larval instars. Here, we use the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene region for the precise identification of larva of this invasive pest at species level. Two different regions of COI gene (COI-5′ and COI-3′) were used as molecular markers for the identification of this species. DNA sequence similarity searches of the obtained COI gene sequences (NCBI GenBank Accession Nos. MW241537, MW241538, MW349515, MW349516, MW349493 and MW349494) revealed that genetically it is more than 99% identical to S. frugiperda. The phylogenetic analysis indicated it as the rice-strain (R-strain). Both 3′- and 5′-fragment tree topologies showed that the collected samples of the FAW species belong to the R-strain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report providing molecular evidence for the existence of R-strain of S. frugiperda that was found feeding on maize crop in Sindh, Pakistan, using COI gene sequences as a marker.


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