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Insects
Special Issues
Spodoptera frugiperda: Current Situation and Future Prospects
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Spodoptera frugiperda: Current Situation and Future Prospects

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 3825

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Orcial Ceolin Bortolotto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Crop Protection, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa 84030-900, Brazil
Interests: insects; (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae); Spodoptera frugiperda
Dr. Juliano de Bastos Pazini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Federal Goiano, Urutaí, Goiás 75790000, Brazil
Interests: chemical control; biological control; natural enemy; integrated pest management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Spodoptera frugiperda is one of the main crop pests in the world, causing damage to plants of various families, affecting leaves, pods, flowers, and stems. Currently, this insect has been one of the challenges in the field of crops that requires intensive management. Therefore, this Special Issue will address resistance management, pest bioecology in different crops, biological control (pathogens, predators, and parasitoids), behavior control (semiochemical), and the use of oil and plant extracts and new technologies (RNAi and CRISPR) in pest management. Basic and applied research is encouraged to be submitted to this Special Issue. Bibliographic review works will also be evaluated. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Prof. Dr. Orcial Ceolin Bortolotto
Dr. Juliano de Bastos Pazini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fall armyworm
  • maize pests
  • integrated pest management
  • alternative control
  • chemical control

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 5646 KB  
Article
Changes in Gut Microbiota, Midgut Structure, and Gene Expression of Spodoptera frugiperda Infected by Serratia marcescens
by Yibo Guo, Yue Zou, Youyang Chen, Jiaxin Liu, Yingying Ye, Xinglong Huang and Zhengwei Wu
Insects 2025, 16(9), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16090933 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1210
Abstract
Serratia marcescens is a microorganism that exhibits insecticidal activity against various insects, including the migratory fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda. This article investigates the insecticidal mechanism of S. marcescens through gastric toxicity. The study involved midgut tissue sectioning, hemolymph observation, and microbiome [...] Read more.
Serratia marcescens is a microorganism that exhibits insecticidal activity against various insects, including the migratory fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda. This article investigates the insecticidal mechanism of S. marcescens through gastric toxicity. The study involved midgut tissue sectioning, hemolymph observation, and microbiome and transcriptome analysis of both infected and uninfected FAW. The findings revealed that S. marcescens effectively disrupted the structure of the midgut, causing midgut shrinkage and rupture, as well as inducing pseudopodia formation in granulocytes. Moreover, it increased the diversity of gut microbiota. Transcriptome analysis indicated an upregulation of metabolic-related genes and tissue repair genes, while there was a downregulation of fat synthesis genes, some immune genes, hormone synthesis genes, etc. The disruption of the midgut structure negatively affects the metabolism and immune function of the FAW, potentially resulting in midgut rupture, systemic sepsis, and ultimately mortality. In conclusion, our study has elucidated the insecticidal mechanism of S. marcescens against the FAW and demonstrated its potential as a biological control agent for managing this pest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spodoptera frugiperda: Current Situation and Future Prospects)
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23 pages, 902 KB  
Article
Farmers’ Perception of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) as an Invasive Pest and Its Management
by Waseem Akbar, Sumaira Yousaf, Muhammad Farhan Saeed, Wafa A. H. Alkherb, Asim Abbasi, Nazih Y. Rebouh and Nazia Suleman
Insects 2025, 16(4), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16040427 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1953
Abstract
This study was carried out with the aim of understanding how farmers perceive and deal with fall armyworm (FAW) infestations in maize crops. Data based on a questionnaire were collected across nine districts of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Findings revealed that about [...] Read more.
This study was carried out with the aim of understanding how farmers perceive and deal with fall armyworm (FAW) infestations in maize crops. Data based on a questionnaire were collected across nine districts of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Findings revealed that about 38% of farmers had medium-sized landholdings and had been cultivating maize crop for the last 11–20 years. Hybrid maize seed was used by 55% of the farmers, and 60% of the maize grown was used as fodder, as well as a cash crop. Surprisingly, only 39% of farmers were able to correctly identify FAW; however, the majority (72%) recognized the larvae as the most damaging stage. Although most of the farmers (71%) grew maize crops during both seasons, only 34% of the farmers recognized autumn as the peak infestation period of FAW. However, despite limited awareness, a high percentage (86%) of farmers managed FAW effectively using various chemical treatments. This study also highlighted the influence of some factors on farmers’ perception of FAW such as: age, farming experience, and maize cultivation practices. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for increased awareness of the basic biology and targeted management strategies for FAW to safeguard maize crops in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spodoptera frugiperda: Current Situation and Future Prospects)
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Review

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21 pages, 4175 KB  
Review
Exploring the Role of Pheromones and CRISPR/Cas9 in the Behavioral and Olfactory Mechanisms of Spodoptera frugiperda
by Yu Wang, Chen Zhang, Mei-Jun Li, Asim Iqbal, Kanwer Shahzad Ahmed, Atif Idrees, Habiba, Bai-Ming Yang and Long Jiang
Insects 2026, 17(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010035 (registering DOI) - 25 Dec 2025
Abstract
Globally, Spodoptera frugiperda is a major threat to many important crops, including maize, rice, and cotton, causing significant economic damage. To control this invasive pest, environmentally friendly pest control techniques, including pheromone detection and identification of potential molecular targets to disrupt S. frugiperda [...] Read more.
Globally, Spodoptera frugiperda is a major threat to many important crops, including maize, rice, and cotton, causing significant economic damage. To control this invasive pest, environmentally friendly pest control techniques, including pheromone detection and identification of potential molecular targets to disrupt S. frugiperda mating communication, are needed. Female moths biosynthesize pheromones and emit them from the pheromone gland, which significantly depends on the intrinsic factors of the moth. Male S. frugiperda have a sophisticated olfactory circuit on their antennae that recognizes pheromone blends via olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). With its potential to significantly modify the insect genome, CRISPR/Cas9 offers a revolutionary strategy to control this insect pest. The impairing physiological behaviors and disrupting the S. frugiperda volatile-sensing mechanism are the main potential applications of CRISPR/Ca9 explored in this review. Furthermore, the release of mutant S. frugiperda for their long-term persistence must be integral to the adoption of this technology. Looking forward, CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive systems have the potential to synergistically target pheromone signaling pathways in S. frugiperda by disrupting pheromone receptors and key biosynthesis genes, thereby effectively blocking intraspecific communication and reproductive success. In conclusion, CRISPR/Cas9 provides an environmentally friendly and revolutionary platform for precise, targeted pest management in S. frugiperda. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spodoptera frugiperda: Current Situation and Future Prospects)
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