Regional Coordinator Asia CABI Bangalore, Karnataka, India
The management for Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith) has evolved since the time it invaded the Asian sub-continent. The success of bringing the global information from the native region of FAW to indigenous research and development of products contributed in reducing its pest potential and damage to focal crop maize. Through indigenous natural enemy (NE) surveys, it was found that the NE complex comprised of 8.43 % T. remus, 19.53-21.23% T chilonis and Chelonus 20-25% . exerted natural control on the pest population. Large area trials of 75 acres were helpful in standardising the BioIntensice IPM package. Further, some toxin based bioproducts proved to add innovations in already existing IPM tool kit. This novel oil-based suspension concentrate (15% SC) formulation of two naturally occurring highly virulent microbial agents Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) and Scaccharopolyspora spinosa. proved to be more effective over the individual agents because of a combined action of blood septicaemia by Btk along with neuro-toxin effect by S. spinosa resulting in enhanced mortality of FAW. During 2020-21, a large-scale field trial was carried out with formulation on Maize against fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. effectiveness of this formulation @ 1.5L/ha was found to be on par with chemical treatments like Chlorantraniloprole 18.5% SC, Emamectin benzoate 5%SG and showed 92.26% population reduction over control as compared to Chlorantraniloprole ( 93.92% ) and Emamectin benzoate ( 85.08%). Efforts were also directed to discuss some of the results across other countries like Bangladesh
