Abstract
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, a moth originating from tropical and subtropical America, has recently become a serious pest of cereals in sub-Saharan Africa. Biological control offers an economically and environmentally safer alternative to synthetic insecticides that are being used for the management of this pest. Consequently, various biological control options are being considered, including the introduction of Telenomus remus, the main egg parasitoid of S. frugiperda in the Americas, where it is already used in augmentative biological control programmes. During surveys in South, West, and East Africa, parasitized egg masses of S. frugiperda were collected, and the emerged parasitoids were identified through morphological observations and molecular analyses as T. remus. The presence of T. remus in Africa in at least five countries provides a great opportunity to develop augmentative biological control methods and register the parasitoid against S. frugiperda. Surveys should be carried out throughout Africa to assess the present distribution of T. remus on the continent, and the parasitoid could be re-distributed in the regions where it is absent, following national and international regulations. Classical biological control should focus on the importation of larval parasitoids from the Americas.
Highlights
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly destructive pest of cereals, and is a native of the tropical and sub-tropical regions of North, Central, Insects 2019, 10, 92; doi:10.3390/insects10040092 www.mdpi.com/journal/insectsInsects 2019, 10, 92 and South America [1]
We report on the observation that T. remus is already present in Africa, speculate how it might have arrived on the continent, and assess the potential for its use in augmentative biological control in Africa
Sampling and rearing techniques varied between sampling sites, but in all cases egg masses of S. frugiperda were brought to the laboratory and held in small containers
Summary
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly destructive pest of cereals, and is a native of the tropical and sub-tropical regions of North, Central, Insects 2019, 10, 92; doi:10.3390/insects10040092 www.mdpi.com/journal/insectsInsects 2019, 10, 92 and South America [1]. Published pest distribution and climatic suitability models have indicated that the environmental requirements for this pest to establish itself permanently are present through large parts of Africa and Asia and some parts of Europe [4,5]. It is likely that it will spread further north to Europe and other countries in Asia. Based on preliminary estimates in 12 African maize-producing countries, in the absence of proper control methods, S. frugiperda has the potential to cause maize yield losses of 8.3 to 20.6 million tonnes per annum. The value of these losses is estimated at between US$ 2.5 to 6.2 billion, with over US$ 13 billion worth of crops at risk [9]. The pest, known to be highly polyphagous, is likely to jeopardize the trade and export of other crops from the invaded regions
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