Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants

The fall armyworm (FAW), <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>, is a major polyphagous pest that mainly feeds on maize and other cash crops. Understanding <i>S. frugiperda</i>’s behavior on different host plants facilitates the development of effective integrated pest management (IPM)...

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Main Authors: Kervin Can, Tsui-Ying Chang, Lekhnath Kafle, Wen-Hua Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Insects
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/885
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author Kervin Can
Tsui-Ying Chang
Lekhnath Kafle
Wen-Hua Chen
author_facet Kervin Can
Tsui-Ying Chang
Lekhnath Kafle
Wen-Hua Chen
author_sort Kervin Can
collection DOAJ
description The fall armyworm (FAW), <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>, is a major polyphagous pest that mainly feeds on maize and other cash crops. Understanding <i>S. frugiperda</i>’s behavior on different host plants facilitates the development of effective integrated pest management (IPM) plans. Therefore, this study investigated the oviposition preferences of <i>S. frugiperda</i> females among different host plants using no-choice, two-choice, and multiple-choice bioassays. In no-choice bioassays, para grass, <i>Urochloa mutica</i> (Forssk.) (Poales: Poaceae); maize, <i>Zea mays</i> (L.) (Poales: Poaceae); and napier grass, <i>Pennisetum purpureum</i> (Schumach) (Poales: Poaceae) were identified as highly attractive, while sweet sorghum, <i>Sorghum dochna</i> (Forssk.) (Poales: Poaceae); sunhemp, <i>Crotalaria juncea</i> (L.) (Fabales:Fabacea); Egyptian clover, <i>Trifolium alexandrinum</i> (L.) (Fabales:Fabacea); desmodium, <i>Desmodium uncinatum</i> (Jacq.) (Fabales:Fabacea); natal grass, <i>melinis repens</i> (Zizka) (Poales: Poaceae); molasses grass, <i>Melinis minutiflora</i> (P.Beauv.) (Poales: Poaceae); and mung bean, <i>Vigna radiata</i> (R. wilczek) (Fabales: Fabaceae) exhibited reduced oviposition effects. Two-choice bioassays revealed different levels of attractiveness and repellency among different plant combinations. In multiple-choice bioassays, mimicking an intercropping scenario, differences in the number of eggs and egg mass were observed for M:S:D:W (maize, sunhemp, desmodium, and cage wall), S:D:M:W (sunhemp, desmodium, maize, and cage wall), and D:M:S:W (desmodium, maize, sunhemp, and cage wall). This study provides insights into the egg-laying preferences of <i>S. frugiperda</i> females among different host plants, valuable for the management of <i>S. frugiperda</i>. This encourages further research and further identification of novel repellent and attractant host plants, which will ultimately contribute to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly crop production practices and techniques.
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spelling doaj-art-08e2dd5cf4f04589ada91ecf8320f7462025-08-20T02:05:02ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-11-01151188510.3390/insects15110885Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant PlantsKervin Can0Tsui-Ying Chang1Lekhnath Kafle2Wen-Hua Chen3Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Xuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 912, TaiwanDepartment of Plant Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Xuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 912, TaiwanDepartment of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Xuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 912, TaiwanDepartment of Plant Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Xuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 912, TaiwanThe fall armyworm (FAW), <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>, is a major polyphagous pest that mainly feeds on maize and other cash crops. Understanding <i>S. frugiperda</i>’s behavior on different host plants facilitates the development of effective integrated pest management (IPM) plans. Therefore, this study investigated the oviposition preferences of <i>S. frugiperda</i> females among different host plants using no-choice, two-choice, and multiple-choice bioassays. In no-choice bioassays, para grass, <i>Urochloa mutica</i> (Forssk.) (Poales: Poaceae); maize, <i>Zea mays</i> (L.) (Poales: Poaceae); and napier grass, <i>Pennisetum purpureum</i> (Schumach) (Poales: Poaceae) were identified as highly attractive, while sweet sorghum, <i>Sorghum dochna</i> (Forssk.) (Poales: Poaceae); sunhemp, <i>Crotalaria juncea</i> (L.) (Fabales:Fabacea); Egyptian clover, <i>Trifolium alexandrinum</i> (L.) (Fabales:Fabacea); desmodium, <i>Desmodium uncinatum</i> (Jacq.) (Fabales:Fabacea); natal grass, <i>melinis repens</i> (Zizka) (Poales: Poaceae); molasses grass, <i>Melinis minutiflora</i> (P.Beauv.) (Poales: Poaceae); and mung bean, <i>Vigna radiata</i> (R. wilczek) (Fabales: Fabaceae) exhibited reduced oviposition effects. Two-choice bioassays revealed different levels of attractiveness and repellency among different plant combinations. In multiple-choice bioassays, mimicking an intercropping scenario, differences in the number of eggs and egg mass were observed for M:S:D:W (maize, sunhemp, desmodium, and cage wall), S:D:M:W (sunhemp, desmodium, maize, and cage wall), and D:M:S:W (desmodium, maize, sunhemp, and cage wall). This study provides insights into the egg-laying preferences of <i>S. frugiperda</i> females among different host plants, valuable for the management of <i>S. frugiperda</i>. This encourages further research and further identification of novel repellent and attractant host plants, which will ultimately contribute to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly crop production practices and techniques.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/885desmodiumegg layinghost plant suitabilityintegrated pest managementintercroppingpara grass
spellingShingle Kervin Can
Tsui-Ying Chang
Lekhnath Kafle
Wen-Hua Chen
Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants
Insects
desmodium
egg laying
host plant suitability
integrated pest management
intercropping
para grass
title Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants
title_full Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants
title_fullStr Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants
title_full_unstemmed Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants
title_short Oviposition Preferences of the Fall Armyworm (<i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Response to Various Potential Repellent and Attractant Plants
title_sort oviposition preferences of the fall armyworm i spodoptera frugiperda i lepidoptera noctuidae in response to various potential repellent and attractant plants
topic desmodium
egg laying
host plant suitability
integrated pest management
intercropping
para grass
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/885
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