Biological control of the alien invasive fall armyworm

摘要

In Africa, maize is one of the most important sources of food security, income generation and employment for over 300 million people across sub-Saharan Africa (FAO, 2018; La Rovere et al., 2010). However, the production of maize is hindered by severalbiotic and abiotic constraints. High among the biotic constraints is infestation with insect pests such as native and invasive stemborers. The recent invasion of Africa by fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), has further compounded the problem. Invasion by alien invasive pests causes devastating impacts on crop productivity and consequently on the livelihood of communities in their new areas of invasion, owing to several ecological factors. These include, but arenot limited to, prevalence of suitable and susceptible host plants, lack of competitor pests as well as lack of indigenous effective natural enemies in the new areas of invasion.