Abstract
Fall armyworm (FAW) was reported for the first time in Africa in 2016. FAW is widely distributed in Ethiopia, causing significant damage to maize. Nine synthetic insecticides belonging to different chemical groups and 11 pesticidal plants (botanicals) were tested for their efficacy against FAW under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. In the laboratory, Radiant, Tracer, Karate, and Ampligo caused over 90% larval mortality 72 h after application. Malathion had moderate activity, causing 51.7% mortality 72 h after application, while Carbaryl was less effective, causing 28% mortality 72 h after application. In the greenhouse experiment, all synthetic insecticides reduced foliar damage to maize compared to the untreated control. Chemical sprays did not affect plant height, stem thickness, or leaf number. The highest fresh weight (471 g) was obtained from plants treated with Radiant. Among the botanicals tested, Azadirachta indica, Schinnus molle, and Phytolacca dodecandra resulted in the highest percentage larval mortality (>95%) 72 h after application. In the field, non-treated control plants showed extensive leaf injury compared to the synthetic insecticide- and botanical-treated plants. The synthetic insecticides and botanicals that showed high efficacy against FAW larvae can be used as components for integrated pest management (IPM) plans for FAW under smallholder farmer conditions in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa.
Highlights
Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and is the key insect pest of maize in tropical regions
There were significant differences among the synthetic insecticides in causing mortality to larvae at 24 h (F = 41.69; df = 9; p < 0.001), 48 h (F = 52.6; df = 9; p < 0.001), and 72 h (F = 74.7; df = 9; p < 0.001)
No live larvae were recorded from plants sprayed with Karate 5 EC (T2) in the second-round spraying, while about one larva was recorded in all treated plants in the third-round spraying, with the exception of plants treated with A. indica
Summary
Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and is the key insect pest of maize in tropical regions. The occurrence of FAW was reported in Africa for the first time in late 2016 in West Africa [1, 2]. FAW has rapidly spread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and, currently, its occurrence has been confirmed in 44 African countries [3]. Given the importance of maize in Africa as a primary staple food crop, the recent invasion of FAW threatens the food security of millions of people in a region that will likely have an aggravated drought due to climate change/El Nino in SSA [3,4]. According to a recent estimate, in the absence of control methods, FAW has the potential to cause losses of an estimated 8.3 to 20.6 m tons of maize per annum
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
