Biology and oviposition preference of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on fodder crops and its natural enemies from Central India

• Published in: International journal of pest management Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 215 - 224
• Main Authors: Keerthi, M. C., Mahesha, H. S., Manjunatha, N., Gupta, Ankita, Saini, Ravi Prakash, Shivakumara, K. T., Bhargavi, H. A., Gupta, Gaurendra, Kulkarni, Narendra S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 03-07-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Artificial diets; Biology; Corn; Crop damage; Crop growth; Crop production; Crops; Economic analysis; Eggs; fall armyworm; Fodder; fodder crops; Forage crops; Insects; Larvae; Livestock feed; Natural enemies; Oviposition; Phylogeny; Predation; Sorghum; Spodoptera frugiperda; Western Hemisphere; India
• ISSN: 0967-0874; 1366-5863
• DOI: 10.1080/09670874.2020.1871530

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda is a ruinous insect pest, native to tropical and subtropical regions of western hemisphere. It has recently invaded Indian subcontinent during 2018, causing severe damage to crops of several genera of many plant families. The incidence of FAW infestation ranged from 12% to 74%, indicating its establishment in central India where it poses an immediate and significant economic threat to crop production. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh isolate is closely related to the isolates of southern states of India. Studies on biology of FAW indicated no variation in biological parameters, when reared on fodder maize and fodder sorghum, however recorded longer larval and pupal duration (16.07 and 10.00 days) when reared on artificial diet. The adults laid more number of eggs under crop mosaic condition with varied phenological crop growth stages and the fodder maize (782.33 eggs) was most preferred for oviposition. A total of five parasitoids were recovered from the field collected larvae and also predation by generalist predator, Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) was recorded during the study period.