Comparative Performance of the Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Reared on Various Cereal-Based Artificial Diets

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Pest Management

Background:

• The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a destructive invasive pest in China since 2019.
• Developing effective artificial diets is crucial for research and control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and evaluate artificial diets for fall armyworm mass rearing.
• To identify the most suitable diet for efficient and economical pest management.

Main Methods:

• Life history traits of fall armyworm were recorded on corn leaves and four artificial diets (SS, SW, CPW, CNS).
• Intrinsic rates of increase, fecundity, and net reproduction rates were calculated.
• Population growth was projected based on developmental, survival, and fecundity rates.

Main Results:

• The corn and soybean-based (CNS) diet yielded the highest intrinsic rate of increase (0.1981/day).
• Maximum fecundity (1225.4 eggs/female) and net reproduction rate (544.7 offspring/individual) were observed on the CNS diet.
• Population growth projections indicated significantly faster increases on the CNS diet.

Conclusions:

• The CNS diet is the most suitable for fall armyworm mass rearing.
• This diet offers an efficient and economical strategy for pest management.
• Optimized artificial diets are key to managing invasive species like the fall armyworm.