Insect parasitoids of fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Africa and Asia and their adoption in integrated pest management of maize in Nepal

Abstract

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is native to the neotropics and invaded Africa and Asia in 2016 and 2018, respectively, and Nepal in 2019. Even though it is a polyphagous pest, the population that reached Africa and Asia prefers maize. As native parasitoids and predators form the first line of defense against new invaders, a study conducted in Nepal identified 9 species of parasitoids, namely, 2 eggs, 1 egg-larval, 4 larval, 1 larval-pupal, and 1 pupal parasitoid of FAW. A comparison was made on the list of parasitoids and predators of FAW recorded in other countries in Asia and Africa. The Feed the Future Nepal Integrated Pest Management Lab, was involved in human and institutional capacity building for survey, collection, identification, and multiplication of parasitoids of FAW. A national augmentative biological control program has been developed and included as a component of the IPM package for maize in Nepal.