An invasive agriculture pest Fall Armyworm is found in Karnataka

Fall Armyworm (FAW), or Spodoptera frugiperda, is an insect that is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. In the absence of natural control or good management, it can cause significant damage to crops. It prefers maize, but can feed on more than 80 additional species of crops, including rice, sorghum, millet, sugarcane, vegetable crops and cotton. FAW was first detected in Central and Western Africa in early 2016 and has quickly spread across virtually all of Sub-Saharan Africa. In July 2018 it was confirmed in India and Yemen. Because of trade and the moth’s strong flying ability, it has the potential to spread further. Farmers will need great support through Integrated Pest Management to sustainability manage FAW in their cropping systems.

Key facts

Fall Armyworm is an insect native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas

It was first detected in Central and Western Africa in early 2016 and has now spread across Sub-Saharan Africa and recently reached Yemen and India

In the larval stage, the insect causes damage to crops, feeding on more than 80 plant species

FAW primarily affects maize, but also rice and sorghum as well as cotton and some vegetables

The moth can fly up to 100 km per night and the female moth can lay up to a total of 1000 eggs in her lifetime

In the Americas, farmers have been managing FAW in their crops for many centuries and researches have been studying it for decades

Sustainable management practices that are used in the Americas need to be to be adapted to countries’ socio-economic-environmental contexts.