Biological control of fall armyworm Sopdoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by using the pheromone Z7-dodecenyl acetate, Z11-hexadecenyl acetate, Z9-tetradecenyl acetate

With an energy value of 86 kcal/100 g to 386 kcal/100 g, maize is a staple food for many people. In Côte d'Ivoire, maize is grown mainly in the north of the country, where it is an enormous source of income for the local population. However, maize cultivation is severely limited by parasitic constraints that affect the organoleptic quality and production of maize. These include the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda, whose damage can cause up to 73% of yield losses. Today, in a sustainable agriculture and food security context, biological control constitutes an essential element. The aim of this study was to carry out biological control of the fall armyworm using the pheromones Z7-dodecenyl acetate, Z11-hexadecenyl acetate, Z9-tetradecenyl acetate. The study was carried out at the maize, millet and sorghum research station of the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique in Ferkessédougou in the north of the country. The experimental design was a total randomization, with four (4) plots containing the pheromone and one control plot. Three (3) vegetative stages of the EV 8728 maize variety sown, were monitored. The results showed a high average number of S. frugiperda adults caught (129 adults), with a low infestation rate (19.42%) and a high average number of other insects caught (162 insects caught) at phenological stage 2 of the maize. Maize yields in plots containing the pheromone ranged from 6.13 tons/ha to 6.27 tons/ha, around twice that of the control plot, which was 3.03 tons/ha. This pheromone can therefore be used to combat the fall armyworm.