Climate change has been reported to cause changes in fauna and flora composition with notable genetic erosions, species extinction, and outbreak of species into new areas. Of special interest is the outbreak of American Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in sub-Saharan Africa, linked to massive economic losses. Conventional pest management was impractical due to inherent pest resistance to arrays of insecticides. The presented study from Tanzania thus sought to develop locally available biocontrol agents as alternatives to conventional management options for S. frugiperda. Surveys to identify locally existing entomopathogenic fungi that are potential biocontrol agents for S. frugiperda were conducted coupled with laboratory biassays and molecular identification (PCR and sequencing). Bio-control agents were identified, including various entomopathogenic fungi (Fusarium brachygibbosum, F. longifundum, F. equiseti, F. clamydosporum, F. solani, F. humuli, F. incarnatum, and Clonostachys rosea) that caused mean larval mortality of between 48% and 97%. Egg parasitoids of the species Trichogramma mwanzae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) that caused S. frugiperda average mortality of 98.6% and 99.3%, respectively, as well as larvae parasitoid, Cortesia icipe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with average mortality of 83.1% were also identified. Finally, the statistical analysis indicated highly (p < 0.001) significant differences between the parasitoids and nontreated controls. The study’s findings thus suggest that locally existing parasitoids and fungi-based solutions against S. frugiperda scourge could mitigate the impacts of climate change, a vital milestone for sustainable pest management in Tanzania and beyond.

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Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change Through Innovative Management of Invasive Crop Pests: The Case of Fall Armyworm in Tanzania

  • Gration M. Rwegasira,
  • Keneth Nyakunga,
  • Nkuwi I. Emmanuel,
  • Tryphone G. Muhamba

摘要

Climate change has been reported to cause changes in fauna and flora composition with notable genetic erosions, species extinction, and outbreak of species into new areas. Of special interest is the outbreak of American Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in sub-Saharan Africa, linked to massive economic losses. Conventional pest management was impractical due to inherent pest resistance to arrays of insecticides. The presented study from Tanzania thus sought to develop locally available biocontrol agents as alternatives to conventional management options for S. frugiperda. Surveys to identify locally existing entomopathogenic fungi that are potential biocontrol agents for S. frugiperda were conducted coupled with laboratory biassays and molecular identification (PCR and sequencing). Bio-control agents were identified, including various entomopathogenic fungi (Fusarium brachygibbosum, F. longifundum, F. equiseti, F. clamydosporum, F. solani, F. humuli, F. incarnatum, and Clonostachys rosea) that caused mean larval mortality of between 48% and 97%. Egg parasitoids of the species Trichogramma mwanzae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) that caused S. frugiperda average mortality of 98.6% and 99.3%, respectively, as well as larvae parasitoid, Cortesia icipe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with average mortality of 83.1% were also identified. Finally, the statistical analysis indicated highly (p < 0.001) significant differences between the parasitoids and nontreated controls. The study’s findings thus suggest that locally existing parasitoids and fungi-based solutions against S. frugiperda scourge could mitigate the impacts of climate change, a vital milestone for sustainable pest management in Tanzania and beyond.