Performance of Two Trichogrammatid Species from Zambia on Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is a noctuid moth native to the tropical and subtropical Americas that has successfully invaded Africa and Asia, where it is has become a serious threat to food security as a pest of cereals and other crops. Biological control is an environmentally friendly means of combating the pest and contributes to an integrated pest management approach. In our study, two egg parasitoid species (Trichogramma mwanzai and Trichogrammatoidea lutea) found in parasitized fall armyworm eggs in Zambia were identified by using a combination of both molecular and morphological characteristics. To evaluate their potential and efficiency on 0- to 2-day-old fall armyworm eggs, we compared their parasitism capabilities with three Trichogramma species native to China (T. ostriniae, T. leucaniae and T. japonicum) under laboratory conditions. The results showed that both parasitoid species would accept 0-, 1- and 2-day-old fall armyworm eggs, and complete their development successfully. Trichogramma mwanzai and T. lutea preferred parasitizing 0- and 1-day-old eggs over 2-day-old eggs. Trichogrammatoidea lutea females supplied with fall armyworm eggs produced the highest parasitism rate of host eggs among the five tested species, while T. mwanzai had the shortest developmental time on all test age eggs. In general, T. lutea was the best performing of the five species when reared on fall armyworm eggs, while T. japonicum was the worst. There were no significant differences, however, in percent emergence in the five test species when reared on fall armyworm eggs.