Open AccessIntegrated pest management options for the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda in West Africa: Challenges and opportunities. A review
Author(s) -
Besmer Régis Ahissou,
Wendnéyidé Mathieu Sawadogo,
Aimé H. Boko-Ganta,
Irénée Somda,
François Verheggen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
biotechnologie, agronomie, société et environnement
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1780-4507
pISSN - 1370-6233
DOI - 10.25518/1780-4507.19125
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , intercropping , integrated pest management , agroforestry , biopesticide , pest control , fall armyworm , business , biology , spodoptera , microbiology and biotechnology , agronomy , pesticide , recombinant dna , paleontology , biochemistry , gene
. The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a voracious and generalist insect pest native to America. It was first detected in West Africa in 2016 and rapidly spread across the continent. The indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides poses risks to human health and threatens the few natural enemies present in these environments. Despite the existence of alternative control measures in America (e.g. genetically modified maize), efforts are needed to develop environmentally friendly approaches that are affordable for smallholder farmers and compatible with the African context. Literature. In this literature review, we describe the potential of the available alternative controls methods which include cultural, physical, biological and semiochemical strategies. The potential of their association is discussed considering their cost-benefice balance and local economic and agricultural context. Conclusions. Several affordable mitigation options could be implemented rapidly, pending proper communication efforts, including (i) the promotion of indigenous natural enemies by promoting refuges and training smallholder farmers on their identification; (ii) cultural methods, mainly by planting directly after the main rainfalls, as well as performing intercropping and crop rotation; and (iii) the use of microbial biopesticides, and avoiding some of the already identified ineffective chemical insecticides.