KEERTHI M. C., MAHESHA H. S., N. S. KULKARNI, SHIVAKUMAR B. G., SHIVAKUMARA K. T., BHARGAVI H. A., VENKATESH Y. N., SHASHIKUMARA P. AND SUBHASH CHAND
Crop Improvement Division, ICAR- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute,
Jhansi-284 003 (Uttar Pradesh), India
Regional Research Station, ICAR- IGFRI, Dharwad
Division of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru
Agroforestry System Research, ICAR- Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi-284003 (Uttar Pradesh)
*(e-mail : keerthimanikya@gmail.com)
(Received : 12 December 2021; Accepted : 30 December 2021)
SUMMARY
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a dreaded invasive insect pest native to the Americas. Because of its fast expansion throughout Africa and Asia, it poses a serious challenge to the food and fodder security of millions of poor households. A total of 52 varieties of 25 different fodder crops were screened for the presence of different stages of S. frugiperda at the technology demonstration plot, ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi. The study confirms FAW incidence on 25 fodder varieties belonging to seven fodder crops. The highest percent incidence was recorded on fodder maize cv J 1006 (84.62), whereas the lowest incidence was recorded on
Guinea grass cv BG-2 (2.2). The highest damage scale of FAW was recorded on bajra cv Moti Bajra (7.8±1.58), whereas the lowest damage was recorded on Nandi grass (3±1.1). The incidence of S. frugiperda on Nandi grass, Setaria sphacelata (4.17), and Anjan grass, Cenchrus ciliaris, was the first documentation report as a host plant.
Key words:Fall armyworm, Fodder crops, Fodder maize, Anjan grass, damage scale, BN hybrid