Studies on new invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its natural enemies

Abstract

Occurrence of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), commonly known as fall armyworm, in southern India is reported along with associated natural enemies. Severe damage was noticed in Chikkaballapur, Hassan, Shivamogga, Davanagere and Chitradurga during July-August 2018. The incidence ranged from 9.0 to 62.5 percent at various locations, maximum incidence was recorded in Hassan district followed by Chikkaballapur, Davanagere, Shivamogga and Chitradurga. Morphology and molecular based taxonomic tools were used for the identification of this pest. The GenBank accession number MH704433 of Chikkaballapur population was released on 1 st August, 2018 and Barcode obtained from BOLD System-ID: AGIMP054-18. The survey also revealed natural parasitism by egg parasitoids viz., Telenomus sp. (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Trichogramma sp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), gregarious larval parasitoid, Glyptapanteles creatonoti (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) solitary larval parasitoid, Campoletis chlorideae Uchida (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and a solitary indeterminate larval-pupal (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae) parasitoid. Spodoptera frugiperda is the first host record for G. creatonoti across the globe. Glyptapanteles creatonoti, being a well established parasitoid of various noctuids in India and Malaysia, was capable of parasitizing S. frugiperda. Besides these, other commonly found bioagents viz., Forficula sp. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) and entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea rileyi (Farl.) Samson was also collected in large numbers. We report the natural enemy complex of S. frugiperda for the first time from India. The electro physiological response of Indian population of S. frugiperda male adults to pheromone was established. The studies to manage this pest by any/all means are in progress.

Detection of a ryanodine receptor target‐site mutation in diamide insecticide resistant fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda

“…Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a species native to the (sub)tropical regions of North and South America and is a major pest of corn, particularly in Brazil . This pest species has recently invaded the African continent, and was first described as being present in Asia in 2018 . There are two corn cropping seasons in Brazil, covering more than 16 million hectares in the 2017/2018 crop season .…”

Gut microbiota of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) larvae as revealed by metatranscriptomic analysis

“…Smith; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is native to the American continent and causes great damage to various economically important crops, such as corn, rice and cotton (Pogue, ). Moreover, recently it invaded and very rapidly spread throughout West and Central Africa (Goergen, Kumar, Sankung, Togola, & Tamò, ) and India (Shylesha et al, ) and has already been reported in China, where it reached 15 provinces in <6 months (Kim & Babcock, ). Because of its wide host range and polyphagous habits, S. frugiperda is considered one of the most destructive pests in tropical regions (Andrews, ; Ayala, Navarro, & Virla, ).…”

Cotesia ruficrus (Haliday, 1834) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) emerging as a common natural parasitoid of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Indian maize fields

“…TTAGGAATACCTGGAAGATTAATTGGTAAT GATCAAATTTATAATAGAGTTGTAACTTCTCAT GCATTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATAGTTATACCAG TAATAATTGGTGGATTTGGAAATTGATTAATTC C T T TA ATAT TAG G T T C T C C AG ATATAT C T T T C C CTCGAATAAATAATATAAGTTTTTGATTATTAATTC CTTCTTTATTATTATTAATTTTAAGAATATTTAT TAATGTTGGTGTTGGAACAGGATGAACAGTATATC CACCATTATCATTAATTTTAGGTCATGGAGGTA TATCAGTTGATTTAGGAATTTTTTCTTTACATTTG GCTGGTGCTTCATCAATTATAGGAGCTGTTAATTT TATTACTACAATTATTAATATACGTTCTAATTTATT TAATATAGATAAAATATCTTTATTTTCTTGATCAGT GTTTATTACTGCAATTTTATTATTATTATCTTTAC CTGTTTTAGCAGGTGCAATTACTATATTATTAACT GATCGAAATATAAATACTAGATTTTTTGATCCATCAG GTGGTGGTGATCCAATTCTTTATCAACATTTATTTT GATTTTTTGGTCACCTTGGAAGTTT Shylesha et al (2018) indeterminate larval-pupal ichneumonid parasitoid. Cotesia ruficrus is a new addition to the existing parasitoid species complex.…”