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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp2 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Spatio-temporal dynamics of insecticide resistance in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infesting maize in Odisha, India

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13023
Submitted
1 December 2025
Published
21-05-2026

Abstract

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda has emerged as a major constraint to maize cultivation in Odisha, where management practices continue to rely predominantly on chemical insecticides. Growing reports of declining field performance have raised concerns regarding resistance development. The present study assessed the susceptibility of S. frugiperda populations collected from Khordha, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Bargarh across the kharif, rabi and zaid cropping seasons from 2022 to 2024. Five commonly used insecticides were evaluated using topical bioassays to quantify toxicity and determine resistance ratios. The results revealed distinct spatial and seasonal variation in susceptibility, indicating that both geographical location and cropping season strongly influence the pest’s response. Emamectin benzoate remained the most effective, with consistently low resistance ratios across districts (lethal dose (LD₅₀): 0.007–0.029 µg/larva and resistance ratio (RR₅₀): 2.40–5.80). Chlorantraniliprole exhibited moderate shifts in tolerance, while spinetoram showed pronounced seasonal fluctuations, with resistance peaking during the kharif season. The highest reduction in sensitivity occurred with acephate and lambda-cyhalothrin, which produced the greatest resistance ratios at the height of infestation. A consistent seasonal trend was observed for all tested insecticides, with minimum resistance during rabi, intermediate levels during zaid and maximum resistance during kharif, suggesting that repeated applications and overlapping generations accelerate tolerance buildup. Farmer survey data corroborated the bioassay results, indicating strong dependence on diamides, spinosyns and pyrethroids and limited adoption of alternative control options. Overall, the findings provide clear evidence that multiple insecticide classes are losing effectiveness against fall armyworm (FAW) in Odisha and reinforce the need for insecticide resistance management (IRM) involving rotation of modes of action, reduced spray intensity and incorporation of biological and botanical measures.

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