Evolution of resistance of a fall armyworm population from Puerto Rico to azadirachtin, a natural compound derived from neem seed extracts: implications for the long-term sustainability of this pest management tool.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

9:54 AM – 10:06 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 131 C

Presenting Author(s)

David Mota-Sanchez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Co-Author(s)

Omar Alejandro Posos-Parra, Sr.

PhD
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
SD

Sharanabasappa Deshmukh

Associate Professor
Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences
Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
BP

Barry Pittendrigh

Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith is a significant pest affecting corn and other field crops in the tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa, and Asia, with its rapid expansion towards other continents. If not controlled, this insect can cause severe damage to the crops. Synthetic insecticides and Bt compounds such as Bt corn are the primary methods used to manage this pest. However, FAW exhibited a remarkable ability to develop resistance. One compound used against FAW is the extract of neem seeds. Azadirachtin is a natural compound extracted from neem seed for the tree Azadirachta indica L. These compounds show very good efficacy in early instar larvae and have detrimental effects on the development of older instars, pupae, and adults. In Puerto Rico, we detected field-evolved resistance of fall armyworms to neem extracts in overlay-diet assays. The evolution of FAW resistance to azadiracthin has global implications because of the potential use of neem in the Americas, Africa, India, and other regions of the world, as it could lead to the development of resistance to this sustainable tool for managing FAW.