Efficacy of Insecticidal Net in Controlling Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) Population and Damage on Maize (Zea mays L.) in Sierra Leone

Abstract

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), a devastating pest of maize (Zea mays), poses a significant threat to maize production and food security in Sierra Leone due to its high reproduction rate and voracious feeding habits. This study evaluates the efficacy of insecticidal nets in controlling fall armyworm populations and minimizing damage to maize crops. A field experiment evaluated the efficacy of treated net in controlling fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda and preventing it from causing economic damage to maize production. The experiment was a single factor in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. There were four treatments comprising of an insecticidal net at different length (21 m, 13 m, and 8 m) and no net (Control). Each length of the net was assigned to one plot. The findings showed that a 21 m length insecticidal net recorded significantly, the highest plant height, number of leaves, 1000 grain weight, reduced fall armyworm egg masses, larvae, damaged leaves, cobs per plant, decreased FAW severity and natural enemies, increased number of adult moth death of fall armyworm. Whereas the untreated farms (control) revealed the lowest concerning parameters mentioned above, except for the number of infested plant leaves, number of egg masses and larvae per plant, and severity rates of FAW. There was a positive correlation between the number of adult death moths of fall armyworm and severity, number of larvae, egg mass, infected plants, infected cob and yield, and several natural enemies of fall armyworm in all the targeted farms. Thus, a 21 m length insecticidal net is recommended as the most efficacious treatment in maize production for resource-poor farmers.