The invasion of Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) toward Southeastern Türkiye

Abstract

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has rapidly expanded its distribution on a worldwide scale and was recently introduced in Türkiye from the eastern side of the Mediterranean region. Regular surveys were followed in the Southeastern region, Türkiye and confirmed the expansion of the pest in new territories. The larval specimens were noticed by specific diagnostic features, particularly an inverted Y-shape marking on the head capsule and four black spots in a square pattern on the dorsal side of the eighth abdominal segment. The pest has very recently arrived in Suruç county of Şanlıurfa province in Southeastern Türkiye. However, its early invasion remained restricted since other surrounding maize lands in other counties of Şanlıurfa, namely, Akçakale, Bozova, Harran, Karaköprü, and Siverek, and other neighboring provinces, Diyarbakır and Mardin, as well as far eastern provinces such as Batman and Şırnak were found uninfested. This study emphasizes the requirement of continuous monitoring efforts to establish an understanding of Integrated Pest Management strategies (IPMs) including native and invasive maize pests.

Keywords

• Invasive species
• rapid dispersion
• lepidopteran maize pests
• The fall armyworm
• Noctuidae
• Southeastern Anatolia Region

References

1. Barros, E. M., Torres, J. B., Ruberson, J. R., & Oliveira, M. D. (2010). Development of Spodoptera frugiperda on different hosts and damage to reproductive structures in cotton. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 137(3), 237–245. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2010.01058.x
2. Bayram, A., & Tonğa, A. (2016). First report of Chilo partellus in Turkey , a new invasive maize pest for Europe. Journal of Applied Entomology, 140(3), 236–240. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12232
3. EPPO. (2015). PM 7/124 (1) Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera litura, Spodoptera frugiperda, Spodoptera eridania. EPPO Bulletin, 45(3), 410–444. https://doi.org/10.1111/epp.12258 EPPO. (2023). Spodoptera frugiperda. EPPO datasheets on pests recommended for regulation. https://gd.eppo.int
4. Gözüaçık, C., & Mart, C. (2005). Güneydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi’ nde mısırda zararlı lepidoptera türleri, yoğunlukları ve yayılışlarının belirlenmesi üzerinde çalışmalar. Harran Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi, 9(4), 11–16.
5. Lancashire, P. D., Bleiholder, H., Boom, T. V. D., Langelüddeke, P., Stauss, R., Weber, E., & Witzenberger, A. (1991). A uniform decimal code for growth stages of crops and weeds. Annals of Applied Biology, 119(3), 561–601. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1744-7348.1991.TB04895.X
6. Mutua, J. M., Mutyambai, D. M., Asudi, G. O., Khamis, F., Niassy, S., Jalloh, A. A., Salifu, D., Magara, H. J. O., Calatayud, P.-A., & Subramanian, S. (2022). Competitive plant-mediated and intraguild predation interactions of the invasive Spodoptera frugiperda and resident stemborers Busseola fusca and Chilo partellus in maize cropping systems in Kenya. Insects, 13(9), 790. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13090790
7. Pehlivan, S., & Atakan, E. (2022). First record of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Türkiye. Cukurova Journal of Agricultural and Food Sciences, 37(2), 139–145. https://doi.org/10.36846/CJAFS.2022.82
8. Tonğa, A. (2021). Lepidopteran maize pests and the egg parasitoids of corn borers, Sesamia spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Southeastern Anatolia and lethal and sublethal effects of some insecticides on Telenomus busseolae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) [Dicle University, Department of Natural and Applied Sciences]. https://acikerisim.dicle.edu.tr/xmlui/handle/11468/8038

9. Tonğa, A., & Rüstemoğlu, M. (2023). First report and molecular identification of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe, 1885) in South-eastern Türkiye: invasion continues (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología, 51(203), 395–405. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.524
10. TUIK. (2023). Cereal production over years. Crop production statistics. Turkish Statistical Institution. https://www.tuik.gov.tr
11. Weber, E., & Bleiholder, H. (1990). Explanations of the BBCH decimal codes for the growth stages of maize, rape, faba beans, sunflowers and peas-with illustrations. Gesunde Pflanzen, 42(9), 308–321.