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Plant Signaling Mediates Interactions Between Fall and Southern Armyworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Their Shared Parasitoid Cotesia icipe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
by
,
Ghislain T. Tepa-Yotto
1,2
,
Hilaire Kpongbe
1,*,
Jeannette K. Winsou
1,
Anette H. Agossadou
1 and 
Manuele Tamò
1,* 1
Biorisk Management Facility (BIMAF), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA-Benin), 08 BP 0932 Tri Postal, Cotonou 01000, Benin
2
Ecole de Gestion et de Production Végétale et Semencière (EGPVS), Université Nationale d’Agriculture (UNA), Kétou 02500, Benin
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Insects 2025, 16(6), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16060580
Submission received: 16 April 2025
/
Revised: 19 May 2025
/
Accepted: 24 May 2025
/
Published: 30 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Insect Behavior and Pathology)
Simple Summary
This study characterized the Spodoptera host plants volatile profiles to understand their role in FAW and SAW behaviors. A number of compounds including α-pinene, limonene, isopentyl acetate, (Z)-beta-farnesene, and methyl dodecanoate were identified as potential chemicals cues involved in the Spodoptera host plant searching behaviors. The bioactivities of those compounds in recruiting the shared FAW and SAW parasitoid C. icipe was evaluated and their potential use in alternative pest management strategies to control these pests was investigated. This study highlights the robust foundation of semiochemicals tools in developing an eco-friendly approach for controlling Spodoptera species.
Abstract
In Africa, the current harmful maize pest is Spodoptera frugiperda. Its attack can be severe and cause total economic losses. Spodoptera eridania is another species of the same genus, detected a few months after S. frugiperda’s outbreaks in West and Central Africa. Though both species share a range of host plants, socioeconomic studies are yet to provide specific figures on the potential impacts of S. eridania. The high and inappropriate application of insecticides to control Spodoptera species has negative effects on the environmental elements' health. Semiochemical tools are increasingly exploited to design alternative pest management strategies. We hypothesize that host plants release components used by the pests and a shared parasitoid to locate the host. To verify that hypothesis, we conducted behavioral assays and GC-MS analyses to identify the potential chemical signals involved in the communications of the moths and their shared parasitoid C. icipe. The results showed that healthy and herbivory-induced maize and amaranth produced some chemical compounds including α-pinene, limonene, isopentyl acetate, (Z)-beta-farnesene, and methyl dodecanoate, which prospects their potential use in alternative pest management strategies for recruiting C. icipe to control these pests. Further work will focus on field validation to develop an alternative control strategy for the moths.
