The impact of planting dates and weather parameters on the fall armyworm infestation in maize

Abstract

 The fall armyworm (Spodoaptera frugiperd), often abbreviated as FAW, is a major menace in Indian agriculture, particularly for small and marginal farmers, causing significant losses in maize. This study  aimed to assess how altering planting schedules affected the occurrence of FAW infestations in both the kharif and rabi seasons. Six plantings maize single cross hybrid DHM 121 was carried out at fortnightly intervals. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth plantings were done on August 2; August 17; October 23; November 10; November 24; and December 4 of 2021, respectively. The correlation between weather parameters and percent plant infestation by FAW was analysed for each of these planting dates. It was found that the crop sown during the first fortnight of August had a significantly lower FAW mean infestation level (27.92%) than the late-sown crops. The maximum infestation of FAW in late-sown crops is attributed to more or less uniform and favourable weather parameters. Rainfall, along with both RH-I and RH-II, and minimum temperature had a negative impact on the FAW infestation, whereas maximum temperature exhibited a positive correlation. Identifying the suitable planting dates in the particular region results in a lesser FAW infestation, reducing economic yield loss as well as decreasing pesticide use. Also, it is essential to understand the role of weather factors in FAW incidence or the development of forecasting models and sustainable management tactics in future.