Fitness of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda to a new host plant, banana (Musa nana Lour.)

Abstract Background The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a highly destructive agricultural pest that primarily damages maize in China. However, there were no reports of S. damage to banana until it was observed on bananas the wild. This suggested crops may be potential hosts pest. To clarify fitness and impact banana, this study analysed survival development fed laboratory constructed age-stage two-sex life tables. Results Larvae completed their cycles produced fertile offspring, but larvae had eight instars presented longer developmental duration, slower population growth, lower body weight than maize-fed larvae. Furthermore, banana-fed adult longevity preoviposition periods larvae, while opposite tendency for oviposition days egg production. Based tables, probability at each stage showed reproductive capacity. Conclusions Although not an ideal host armyworm, colonized by species situations which density high or preferred scarce. Therefore, essential prevent from transferring thereby increasing number sources outbreaks. Graphical