Impact Assessment of Fall armyworm (<em>Spodoptera frugiperda</em> J.E. Smith) Damage and Control on Smallholder Maize Fields of Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Purpose: Limited information is available on Fall Armyworm (FAW) and its agricultural burden in Sri Lanka. This is the first study conducted aimed at evaluating the level of economic damage caused by FAW in maize fields in the Anuradhapura district during the Maha season 2019-2020, along with the economic impacts on small-scale farmers.Research Method: Five small-scale maize farming sites were selected, along with another maize-cultivated area as the control site. General farming practices were allowed and observed in the sampling sites, while the maize-cultivation at the control site was not treated with any pest management practices. A total of 150 maize plants were monitored. The percentage of damage was calculated for each study site, and the expenditures from the land preparation to harvesting were recorded, along with the final yield. Findings: The highest percentage of mean FAW- damaged plants was reported during the fifth week as 28.5% in farmer fields, while the control site reported a >80% rate of damaged plants. The average dry yield received from the investigated sites was 1,162.2 kg/acre and the average income was Rs. 75,543, along with an average profit of Rs. 31,051 per acre. Meanwhile, the control plots yielded only 224.8 kg of maize/acre. Research Limitation: Collecting information from farmer’s side and unexpected attacks from elephants on the selected corn fields has been the biggest challenge. Originality/value: The study highlights the need for sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) options, along with due attention to biological control methods in controlling FAW.