Monitoring Spodoptera frugiperda in Benin: assessing the influence of trap type, pheromone blends, and habitat on pheromone trapping

Authors: YEPA-YOTTO, GHISLAIN - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Meagher, Robert - Rob; WINSOU, J - Norwegian University Of Life Sciences; DAHOUETO, B - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); TAMO, M - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); SAETHRE, M - Norwegian University Of Life Sciences; Nagoshi, Rodney

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/2021
Publication Date: 4/8/2022
Citation: Yepa-Yotto, G.T., Meagher Jr, R.L., Winsou, J.K., Dahoueto, B., Tamo, M., Saethre, M.G., Nagoshi, R.N. 2022. Monitoring Spodoptera frugiperda in Benin: assessing the influence of trap type, pheromone blends, and habitat on pheromone trapping. Florida Entomologist. 105(1):71-78. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.105.0111.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.105.0111

Interpretive Summary: The fall armyworm (FAW), a moth pest from the Western Hemisphere, that has now become a pest of global concern. It was first detected in west Africa in 2016 and is now found in southwest Asia, east Asia, southeast Asia, and Australia. The rapid population development in African maize fields as changed pest control operations for most smallholder farms. An important part of this change is monitoring for this pest in the field using different pheromone trapping strategies. Scientists from Benin and Norway, along with two USDA-ARS CMAVE, Gainesville, FL entomologists, tested different pheromone blends and traps to determine the best combination. Results showed that the commercially available Unitrap model was the most effective design for FAW captures, but an inexpensive locally-made trap could also collect moths when populations were high. One pheromone blend (4C) attracted the most number of FAW, but also attracted many moths that were similar and could be mistaken for the pest species. Another pheromone blend (2C) was the most selective, but didn't attract as many FAW moths.

Technical Abstract: The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has now become a pest of global concern. Originally known to be endemic to the Western Hemisphere, its first detection into Africa was followed by spectacular outbreaks and spread to almost all sub-Saharan countries. The rapid incursion of S. frugiperda on maize fields in Africa transitioned the crop production regimes to a crucial need of a comprehensive assessment of an integrated pest management strategy in most smallholder farms. However, this cannot successfully function without a proper monitoring and surveillance effort. These trapping studies were designed to provide preliminary indications as to whether pheromone trap-lure combinations and simple changes in landscape and agricultural practices might assist to determine FAW infestations. Our data show that the commercially available Unitrap model was the most effective design for FAW captures among the traps tested. The inexpensive Jar2 trap was capable of consistently collecting FAW during the first season of relatively moderate FAW density, with a capture profile similar to that displayed by the Unitrap. However, the number of FAW captured by Jar2 were several fold lower than by Unitrap under all conditions, and almost no FAW was captured during the second season when FAW density was low. Substantial differences were observed among the pheromone blends with respect to sensitivity and selectivity. The 4C blend attracted the most FAW under all conditions by a substantial margin. The 2C blend was the most selective, with no non-target species found during the second season study.