Nutritional Resources\nRegulate the Reproduction or\nMigration of Spodoptera frugiperda through\nJuvenile Hormones and 20-Hydroxyecdysone

Spodoptera frugiperda is\na significant\nagricultural pest that migrates annually based on the growth stages\nof its host plants. However, the role of host plant growth stages\nin the residency or migration of S. frugiperda remains unclear. We allowed S. frugiperda to feed on maize leaves and seeds, and results showed that maize\nseeds had higher amino acids, carbohydrates, and triglyceride (TG). S. frugiperda that fed on seeds had longer adult\nstages; larger wings; higher TG, juvenile hormone II (JH II), and\nJH III; and more developed flight muscles, indicating tendencies toward\nmigration. Interestingly, maize leaves were richer in sterols. S. frugiperda that fed on leaves exhibited longer\nlarval stages, higher 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and JH I, faster egg\nmaturation, and earlier oviposition, suggesting tendencies toward\nresidency. These findings suggest that the nutritional composition\nof host plants influences S. frugiperda for migration or reproduction, offering new insights into its invasion\nand establishment patterns.