Field efficacy of insecticides for management of invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on maize in India

The invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was reported for the first time causing severe damage on maize in Karnataka, India, during May 2018. Thereafter, the pest has spread to most states of India and then spread to other Asian countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and China. Being a new invasive, there is no information on its susceptibility to insecticides. Hence, insecticides having different modes of action were evaluated for control of second instar larvae by the leaf-dip bioassay method, as well as under field conditions both in Jun and Sep. Emamectin benzoate 5 SG showed the highest acute toxicity, followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC, and spinetoram 11.7 SC, whereas toxicities of flubendiamide 480 SC, indoxacarb 14.5 SC, lambda-cyhalothrin 5 EC, and novaluron 10 EC were at par by the leaf-dip bioassay. The results of field efficacy for 2 planting dates (Jun sown crop, and Sep sown crop 2018) revealed that the effective insecticides were chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC, followed by emamectin benzoate 5 SG, spinetoram 11.7 SC, flubendiamide 480 SC, indoxacarb 14.5 SC, lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC, and novaluron 10 EC. Higher efficacy also was correlated with higher grain yield in comparison with the control. Chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate, and spinetoram are suitable as one of the components of Integrated Pest Management of fall armyworm in India.