What Defines a Host? Oviposition Behavior and Larval Performance of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Five Putative Host Plants.

ABSTRACT: When an invasive species first breaches quarantine and establishes in yet another country, it invariably causes consternation for growers, in part because of incomplete understanding of the plants that are at risk. The Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is the most recent example in Australia. The number of plants that this polyphagous noctuid is reported to attack is vast, including many crop species. Consequently, initial reactions from grower industry groups that perceived themselves at risk were to demand emergency use of insecticides. Yet the field evidence suggests that many crops might not be at risk and since S. frugiperda arrived in Australia, maize crops have suffered most damage, followed by sorghum. We question the accuracy of some of the claims of reported host

SUBMITTER: Volp TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9748544 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature