About the Fall Armyworm
What is fall armyworm?
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Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Scientific name: Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith)
Common Name: Fall armyworm
Fall armyworm is an important lepidopteran pest in the Americas. During the mid-19th Century it was reported attacking maize, sugarcane, rice and grasses in the southern United States of America.
The name, fall armyworm is derived from its annual rapid range expansion northwards into North America where it lays eggs, and the larvae develop throughout the fall (autumn).
In the last four years fall armyworm has spread from its native Americas, across Africa and throughout Asia, threatening millions of small holder farmers and triggering emergency responses from multiple governments and agricultural industry bodies.
Likely distribution in Australia
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Fall armyworm is a migratory species that utilises prevailing winds. If conditions are suitable it can travel more than 100 kilometres in a single night.
Its year-round distribution is expected to be restricted to relatively warm and moist areas closer to the coast. However, the geographic range of fall armyworm is expected to expand and contract based on climatic variability and available hosts.
Population modelling for fall armyworm using CLIMEX (estimates climate-related species distribution) suggests this pest has the potential to migrate to southern Australia during the warmer summer months.
Host range and lifecycle
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Fall armyworm is a polyphagous pest with the potential to damage more than 350 different plant species, including a mixture of both crops and weeds.
While its ability to feed on weeds might not seem that important, it is these hosts that allow the pest to survive when commercial crops are no longer suitable or not available. For this reason, effective weed control will ultimately help restrict population growth.
In Australia, fall armyworm is likely to target key broadacre crops including cereals, cotton, maize, sorghum and soybeans. Horticultural crops are also susceptible, while it has been reported extensively on sweetcorn, other potential hosts include brassicas, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables and potatoes.