Abstract
Introduction. The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a voracious and generalist insect pest native to America. It was first detected in West Africa in 2016 and rapidly spread across the continent. The indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides poses risks to human health and threatens the few natural enemies present in these environments. Despite the existence of alternative control measures in America (e.g. genetically modified maize), efforts are needed to develop environmentally friendly approaches that are affordable for smallholder farmers and compatible with the African context. Literature. In this literature review, we describe the potential of the available alternative controls methods which include cultural, physical, biological and semiochemical strategies. The potential of their association is discussed considering their cost-benefice balance and local economic and agricultural context. Conclusions. Several affordable mitigation options could be implemented rapidly, pending proper communication efforts, including (i) the promotion of indigenous natural enemies by promoting refuges and training smallholder farmers on their identification; (ii) cultural methods, mainly by planting directly after the main rainfalls, as well as performing intercropping and crop rotation; and (iii) the use of microbial biopesticides, and avoiding some of the already identified ineffective chemical insecticides.
Highlights
The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a voracious and generalist insect pest native to America
Integrated pest management of the fall armyworm influence on the levels of damage inflicted by fall armyworm, as there is a synchronization between the life cycles of the insect and its host plant
In Benin and Ghana, nine hymenopterans belonging to Braconidae [C. luteum, C. icipe, Meteoridea cf. testacea (Granger), Chelonus bifoveolatus Szépligeti], Ichneumonidae [Pristomerus pallidus (Kriechbaumer), Charops sp., Metopius discolor Tosquinet], Platygastridae (Telenomus remus Nixon), Trichogrammatidae (Trichogramma sp.) and the diptera Drino quadrizonula (Thomson) (Tachinidae) were found to parasite 5-38% of the fall armyworm
Summary
The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a voracious and generalist insect pest native to America It was first detected in West Africa in 2016 and rapidly spread across the continent. We describe the potential of the available alternative controls methods which include cultural, physical, biological and semiochemical strategies The potential of their association is discussed considering their cost-benefice balance and local economic and agricultural context. Several affordable mitigation options could be implemented rapidly, pending proper communication efforts, including (i) the promotion of indigenous natural enemies by promoting refuges and training smallholder farmers on their identification; (ii) cultural methods, mainly by planting directly after the main rainfalls, as well as performing intercropping and crop rotation; and (iii) the use of microbial biopesticides, and avoiding some of the already identified ineffective chemical insecticides. Chenille légionnaire d’automne, lutte intégrée, ennemis naturels, petits exploitants, Afrique de l’Ouest
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