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Research Project: Improved Biologically-Based Methods for Insect Pest Management of Crop Insect Pests

Location: Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research

Title: Maize infestation of fall armyworm, (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), within agro-ecological zones of Togo and Ghana in West Africa 3 yr after its invasion

Author
item KOFFI, DJIMA - University Of Ghana
item AGBOKA, KOMI - University Of Lome
item ADENKA, DELANYO KOKOUVI - University Of Ghana
item OSAE, MICHAEL - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAECGH)
item TOUNOU, AGEBBBKO KODJO - University Of Lome
item ANANI, MAWUKO KOSSI - University Of Lome
item FENING, KEN OKWAE - University Of Ghana
item Meagher, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2020
Publication Date: 4/29/2020
Citation: Koffi, D., Agboka, K., Adenka, D., Osae, M., Tounou, A., Anani, M.A., Fening, K., Meagher Jr, R.L. 2020. Maize infestation of fall armyworm, (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), within agro-ecological zones of Togo and Ghana in West Africa 3 yr after its invasion. Environmental Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa048.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa048

Interpretive Summary: The fall armyworm invaded several West African countries in 2016 causing severe injury to corn plants and economic damage. Researchers from two universities in Africa in collaboration with a scientist from USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida, surveyed 214 farms throughout Togo and Ghana for infestation by this insect pest. Infestation levels were 68% in 2016, 56% in 2017, and only 18% in 2018, and the number of fall armyworm found was higher in Togo than in Ghana. In fact, the southern part of Togo contained higher numbers of larvae and higher infestation levels during the two years following the invasion of the pest. These results will help researchers and farmers in these countries determine what factors affect changes in populations levels over time, which is a prerequisite for developing management interventions.

Technical Abstract: The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) invaded several West African countries in 2016 causing severe injury to maize plants and economic damage. This study assesses variations in the occurrence of this species in different Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) in Togo and Ghana during the three years following its discovery. The surveys were conducted on 120 farms in Togo and 94 farms in Ghana by collecting larvae from 200 maize plants per hectare. Infestation levels were 68.46% in 2016, 55.82% in 2017, and 17.76% in 2018. The number of larvae recorded per hectare and infestation levels were higher in Togo than in Ghana. The lowest number of collected larvae and infestation levels of S. frugiperda were in 2018, compared to the other two years. Larvae per hectare and the infestation level varied regionally inside the two countries. The southern part of Togo (AEZ five) contained higher numbers of larvae and higher infestation levels during the two years following the invasion of the pest. We concluded that infestation levels of S. frugiperda are much lower in 2018 than the two previous years and it is therefore necessary to determine the factors that affect the population dynamics of S. frugiperda in the field, which is a prerequisite for developing management interventions.