POPULATION DYNAMICS OF Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) IN PERAMBALUR DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU

The Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), a migratory polyphagous pest with high feeding preference to maize, is native to American continent but detected in African continent in the year 2016 and reached the Indian sub-continent by 2018. Now the pest has been spread over the maize growing states in India and causing drastic economic loss. Studies on population dynamics of Spodoptera frugiperda was carried out in all the four blocks of Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu by conducting the season long survey with the aim to correlate the occurrence and weather variables. The number of egg masses and larval population were counted and percent infestation was worked out. Among the four blocks, Veppur block showed the heavy infestation of 85%. Thus, the climatologic conditions prevailing in the cropping season decides the fluctuation and abundance of FAW. So, abiotic factors must be taken into consideration in the IPM model for the management of FAW.