Linking demography and food consumption to project population growth and damage potential of <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> in <scp>India</scp>

Abstract The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), identified as an invasive pest worldwide, has severely threatened agricultural production and food security in India. To formulate eco‐friendly integrated pest management strategies for S. frugiperda in its new invasive habitat, the basic knowledge about demographic parameters and damage potential of this pest is crucial. The effects of five host crops viz. maize ( Zea mays L.), popcorn ( Zea mays everta Sturt), sweet corn ( Zea mays saccharata Sturt), sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.)) and soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.) on the development and food consumption of S. frugiperda were examined. Population projection curves based on life table and consumption rates were drawn on different hosts using computer simulation. The pre‐adult development of S. frugiperda was fastest on popcorn (28.02 days), maize (28.04 days) and sweet corn (28.31 days) but slowest on soybean (34.83 days). The highest net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase were observed on maize. The feeding potential of S. frugiperda was also highest on maize. The maximum consumption of the sixth larval instar was observed on maize (19470.47 mm 2 ) while lowest on soybean (9033.67 mm 2 ). In the simulation period of 90 days, the fastest growth of S. frugiperda was expected on maize, popcorn and sweet corn while the slowest on soybean. High larval and pupal survival recorded on the non‐maize hosts (sorghum and soybean) reflects that fall armyworm could be an obstacle in their production as well as in the success of maize‐soybean intercropping system. Simulations based on age‐stage, two‐sex life table could be helpful in predicting the most appropriate time for the pesticide application as well as augmentative releases of egg and larval parasitoids for the control of fall armyworm.