Laboratory and Field Performance of Metarhizium anisopliae Isolate ICIPE 41 for Sustainable Control of the Invasive Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
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Date
2022-10
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MDIP
Abstract
To overcome the negative impacts of invasive fall armyworm (FAW), this study assessed
the laboratory and field efficacy of aqueous and oil-based formulations of Metarhizium anisopliae
ICIPE 41 as an alternative source for FAW management. Three oil formulations, including canola,
corn and olive oils and an aqueous formulation of ICIPE 41, were assessed against the second-instar
larvae of FAW in the laboratory. Field experiments were also conducted at Mbita and Migori, Kenya,
using the formulation that performed best in the lab, with four treatments: (a) A corn oil formulation
of ICIPE 41; (b) Mazao AchieveĀ® biopesticide, with the M. anisopliae ICIPE 78 strain as the active
ingredient; (c) spinetoram-based synthetic pesticide; (d) a control (water + corn oil). FAW incidence,
infestation, larval mortality and the effects on parasitoids and yield were evaluated. The laboratory
results showed no significant differences in the efficacies among the oil-based formulations, with
mortality rates of >70% and an LT50 of ~2 days compared to 15.15% in the controls with an LT50 of
8.11days. Under the field conditions, no significant differences in the FAW infestation were observed
between ICIPE 41 and Mazao AchieveĀ®, compared to the control treatments in both agro-ecological
zones. From the field-collected samples, both fugal-based biopesticides exhibited high mortality
and mycosis rates, with no negative impacts on Cotesia icipe compared to the spinetoram pesticide.
There were significant differences in the total grain yields among the treatments in Mbita and Migori.
Therefore, ICIPE 41 formulated with corn oil could be used for sustainable FAW management in maize
cropping systems.
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research article
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Citation
Munywoki, J.; Omosa, L.K.; Subramanian, S.; Mfuti, D.K.; Njeru, E.M.; Nchiozem-Ngnitedem, V.-A.; Akutse, K.S. Laboratory and Field Performance of Metarhizium anisopliae Isolate ICIPE 41 for Sustainable Control of the Invasive Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Agronomy 2022, 12, 2636. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/agronomy12112636