Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Feb 1;10(2):45.
doi: 10.3390/insects10020045.

The Efficacy of Selected Synthetic Insecticides and Botanicals against Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, in Maize

Birhanu Sisay  1   2   3 , Tadele Tefera  4 , Mulatu Wakgari  5 , Gashawbeza Ayalew  3 , Esayas Mendesil  6
Affiliations

The Efficacy of Selected Synthetic Insecticides and Botanicals against Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, in Maize

Birhanu Sisay et al. Insects. .

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.

Keywords: bioassay; cereal; fall armyworm; integrated pest management; invasive pest.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean (± SEM) leaf damage of maize by FAW under different treatments in the greenhouse.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean (± SEM) of leaf damage of maize by FAW under different treatments in the field.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mean (± SEM) of leaf damage of maize by FAW under different treatments in the field. Note: (T1) A. indica alone sprayed for three applications; (T2) Karate 5 EC alone sprayed for three applications; (T3) A. indica sprayed in the first and second applications with Karate 5 EC sprayed in the third application; (T4) A. indica sprayed in the first application with Karate 5 EC sprayed in the second and third application; (T5) A. indica sprayed in the first application with Karate 5 EC sprayed in the second round; (T6) Unsprayed Control.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Goergen G., Lava K.P., Sankung S.B., Togola A., Tamò M. First Report of Outbreaks of the Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): A New Alien Invasive Pest in West and Central Africa. PLoS ONE. 2016;11:e0165632. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165632. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Abrahams P., Bateman M., Beale T., Clottey V., Cock M., Colmenarez Y., Corniani N., Day R., Early R., Godwin J.L., et al. Fall Armyworm: Impacts and Implications for Africa. CABI; Oxfordshire, UK: Sep, 2017. Evidence Note (2)
    1. Rwomushana I., Bateman M., Beale T., Beseh P., Cameron K., Chiluba M., Clottey V., Davis T., Day R., Early R., et al. Fall Armyworm: Impacts and Implications for Africa. CABI; Oxfordshire, UK: Oct, 2018. Evidence Note Update.
    1. Prasanna B.M., Huesing J.E., Eddy R., Peschke V.M. Fall Armyworm in Africa: A Guide for Integrated Pest Management. 1st ed. CIMMYT; Edo Mex, Mexico: 2018.
    1. Capinera J.L. Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), 2017. [(accessed on 10 October 2017)]; Available online: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in255.

LinkOut - more resources