What does this research mean for the field?

Emamectin benzoate provides highly effective suppression of fall armyworm in maize across Kenya and Ghana, and specific local maize varieties such as Omankwa, Pioneer, SC 73 Tumbo, and WH508 exhibit significant natural resistance to the pest. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate integrated management strategies against fall armyworm in maize in Kenya and Ghana. It focuses on identifying effective and cost-efficient options for smallholder farmers.

June 1, 2026Open Access

On-farm evaluation of integrated management strategies for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in maize across Kenya and Ghana

Puntos clave

This research aims to evaluate integrated management strategies against fall armyworm in maize in Kenya and Ghana. It focuses on identifying effective and cost-efficient options for smallholder farmers.
Conducted on-farm trials in Kenya at Bungoma and Embu, and in Ghana at Kpong and Pampaso.
Compared six treatments against untreated control, including emamectin benzoate and Bacillus thuringiensis, with weekly leaf damage and larval assessments.
Screened local maize varieties for natural resistance to fall armyworm.
Emamectin benzoate consistently resulted in lower leaf damage levels (1.06–1.35) compared to the control (3.21–4.60) in Ghana.
Bt sand granules were effective in Ghana (1.20–1.29) but less effective in Kenya (3.98–6.97).
Local maize variety Omankwa showed lower leaf damage levels (1.91–2.73) than the Lake hybrid (2.78–3.93) in Ghana.

Resumen

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda , is one of the most destructive pests of maize worldwide. Since invading Africa in 2016 and China in 2019, it has caused substantial crop losses, especially across Sub-Saharan Africa. To identify practical, smallholder-friendly pest management tactics, the FAO-China South-South Cooperation FAW Project conducted on-farm trials at two sites in Kenya (Bungoma and Embu) and two in Ghana (Kpong and Pampaso). Baseline surveys revealed infestation rates of 73.3–93.7%, with larval densities of 95–532 larvae per 100 plants. Six treatments were compared against an untreated control: neem oil, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), emamectin benzoate and chlorantraniliprole (Kenya) or lambda-cyhalothrin (Ghana), each applied either as a knapsack-spray or as sand granules dropped into the maize whorl. Leaf damage levels (LDL) and number of living larvae (NLL) per plant were recorded weekly. After one season, emamectin benzoate both sprayed and sand-applied consistently provided the lowest leaf damage level ((1.06±0.02)–(1.35±0.07)) compared with the control ((3.21±0.16)–(4.60±0.16)) in Kpone and Pampaso of Ghana. In Kenya, emamectin benzoate also resulted in lower leaf damage levels ((1.21±0.03)–(3.17±0.09)) compared with the control ((4.48±0.05)–(6.30±0.18)) at Embu and Bungoma. Bt sand granules were highly effective in Ghana ((1.20±0.04)–(1.29±0.07)) but performed less well in Kenya ((3.98±0.08)–(6.97±0.16)). Neem oil provided moderate suppression with leaf damage levels ((1.31±0.06)–(2.04±0.12)) in Ghana and ((3.13±0.08)–(3.58±0.16)) in Kenya, whereas lambda-cyhalothrin failed completely. In parallel, we screened five Ghanaian and eleven Kenyan local maize varieties for natural resistance; The Omankwa variety showed significantly lower leaf damage level ((1.91±0.12)–(2.73±0.21)) than the Lake (hybrid) variety ((2.78±0.31)–(3.93±0.17)) in Ghana; In Kenya, Pioneer (2.52±0.12), SC 73 Tumbo (2.58±0.14) and WH508 (2.44±0.11) showed significantly lower leaf damage levels compared with DK777 (5.44±0.08), W301 (5.47±0.07), Tembo (Seedco) (5.71±0.07), and Sungura (Seedco) (3.76±0.07). These trials offer smallholder farmers direct, comparative evidence to support cost-effective and locally adapted FAW management decisions.

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