Companion crops alter olfactory responses of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), and its larval endoparasitoid (Cotesia icipe)

Abstract

Abstract The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a devastating invasive pest and a threat to food security in Africa, with yield losses of 20–50%. Recent studies highlighted the importance of cereal crops such as maize and sorghum as the most preferred host plants for FAW oviposition. In the current work, we investigated the olfactory responses of FAW and its larval endoparasitoid Cotesia icipe to odours from the preferred host (maize) in the presence of six potential companion crops including beans, groundnut, sweet potato, greenleaf- and silverleaf desmodium, and cassava. We hypothesized that odours released by companion crops in maize-based intercropping systems would alter host preferences of FAW for oviposition and its parasitoid responses. In dual choice bioassays, FAW laid significantly more eggs on maize than on the other plants; however, significantly fewer eggs were laid on maize when companion plants were present. Markedly, the presence of cassava did not affect the oviposition responses of FAW. While wind tunnel bioassays confirmed the differential behavioural responses of the FAW, we found that its larval endoparasitoid C. icipe was attracted to volatiles from both the individual companion plants and when they were combined with maize. Coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis detected several potential behaviour-modifying compounds including (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (E)-β-ocimene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)-β-caryophyllene, camphor, methyl salicylate and (E, E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene. Our findings provide evidence supporting diversified maize cropping system could reduce FAW damage by repelling the pest while recruiting its natural enemies and hence may serve as an ecologically sustainable FAW management strategy.