Preferable Host Plants of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae in Southern Punjab Pakistan under Laboratory Conditions

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda is considered an important noctuid moth pest of agricultural crops all over the world and recently become an invasive pest in Pakistan. The crops belonging to Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae families are highly affected with this pest. The description of host plants is very important in understanding the biology, ecology and application of most effective techniques against the pest. By keeping in view, the importance of this pest, the current study was conducted to evaluate the most preferable host plant such as maize, potato, cabbage, cotton and lehli for this pest in the study area. The results showed that cabbage and maize were the most suitable hosts for larval feeding. The incubation period was recorded 2.00 and 2.12 days on cabbage and maize, respectively. The developmental period of larvae was found longer on cabbage as compared to maize. Potato, cotton and lehli were not found suitable for pest rearing. The study concluded that maize and cabbage are the most suitable hosts for S. frugiperda larvae under natural and controlled conditions.