Threshold of development and heat requirements for various stages of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) | ||
| Aswan Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 17 November 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Research article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ajabs.2025.432981.1037 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Islam El-Zoghby1; Hassan Farag Dahi2; Asmaa Salamaa Badawy* 1 | ||
| 1Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt. | ||
| 2Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Cotton Leafworm Department- Dokki, Giza, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) poses a major threat to maize cultivation in Africa and Asia, rapidly dispersing and undermining the food security of smallholder farmers. This study evaluates the influence of temperature on the biological development of this pest through targeted experiments conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. The research analyzes developmental timing and heat requirements across all major life stages egg, larva, pupa, and pre-oviposition at three constant temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C). Our findings reveal that elevated temperatures substantially accelerate the rate of development, with generation time declining from over 70 days at 20°C to just 30 days at 30°C. Stage-specific temperature thresholds and accumulated heat units were determined for each phase: 14.07°C / 36.98 degree-days for eggs, 11.41°C / 334.64 degree-days for larvae, 14.41 °C / 121.50 degree-days for pupae, and 13.27 °C / 37.17 degree-days for the pre-oviposition stage, resulting in a cumulative requirement of 524.75 degree-days per generation. Understanding these thermal constants is critical for constructing predictive models of pest population dynamics and for designing efficient integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. By quantifying temperature-dependent development, our results support more accurate forecasting of seasonal outbreaks and informed decision-making for controlling S. frugiperda in affected regions. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Spodoptera frugiperda; Fall army worm; Heat requirements; Maize; Degree-days | ||
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