Fall armyworm research, development and extension for horticulture

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Welcome to the fall armyworm eHub!

On this site you can engage with the latest fall armyworm (FAW) research, development and extension (R, D & E) activities for horticulture:

read the latest news updates on FAW management, moth activities and seasonal patterns, and insecticide resistance results
access FAW R, D & E resources
engage in discussion, report on FAW activities, ask a question and provide feedback
find FAW-related event information.

To receive updates on information added to this page, register on this eHub and 'follow' the fall armyworm project.

This eHub page is delivered as part of the Hort Innovation funded project VG22006 'National Fall Armyworm (FAW) innovation system for the Australian vegetable industry'.

What's happening in fall armyworm research, development and extension?

Stay up to date with fall armyworm (FAW) research, development, and extension activities across FAW area-wide management regions.

The national FAW extension project (VG22006) is establishing area-wide management groups in the Bowen / Burdekin (North Queensland), Lockyer Valley (South East Queensland) and East Gippsland (Victoria) regions. In each region, researchers and extension officers are working with growers, agronomists, and industry participants to generate knowledge and tools for sustainable FAW management through a range of activities. Here are the activities currently underway. For questions or feedback, click on the contact name to email the researcher or extension officer or use the 'Questions and Information Request' tab at the top right corner of the FAW eHub.

Bowen / Burdekin, Queensland (2025-2026)

Demonstration / trial sites:
- Biopesticides trial to manage FAW in sweet corn (Ian Newton)
- Exploring FAW sources, NPVs efficacy in conjunction with pesticides (John Stanley)
FAW monitoring: Pheromone trapping (John Stanley)
Engagement activity, extension and communication: Field walk, Industry meeting (Ramesh Puri)

Lockyer Valley, South East Queensland (2025-2026)

Sweet corn varietal trial to understand the feeding behaviour of FAW - (Frezzel Tadle, John Duff).
FAW collection in Lockyer and Fassifern Valley for insecticide resistance testing - (Frezzel Tadle, John Duff)
FAW industry meeting/field day (sometime Feb or March) – (Frezzel Tadle, Melina Miles, John Duff)
FAW monitoring: Pheromone trapping (Frezzel Tadle)
FAW collections for inclusion in the resistance screening, with a focus on grain crops (maize in particular), complement the collections from horticultural crops being made by Praise
Participation in the development of an IRMS for FAW, with consideration for insecticide use patterns in non-horticultural crops grown in the region.
Engagement activity: Farm walk and Industry meeting (Frezzel Tadle)

East Gippsland, Victoria (2025-2026)

FAW monitoring: Pheromone trapping (Scott Botten)
FAW identification: LAMP testing (Scott Botten)
Engagement activity: Farm walk, Industry meeting (Scott Botten)

Stay up to date with activities across all FAW area-wide management regions through the FAW eHub and newsletter (Ramesh Puri).

(Image credit: location pins designed by rawpixel.com / Freepik)

Stay up to date with fall armyworm (FAW) research activities across Australia. Various organisations are working on FAW management solutions including biological control, companion planting, and crop and pest monitoring.

Below are some of the activities currently underway. For questions or feedback, click on the contact’s name to email the researcher or use the 'Questions and Information Request' tab at the top right corner of this page.

Department of Primary Industries, Queensland in 2025/26:

Bowen, Qld:
- Biopesticide trial to manage FAW in sweet corn
  - Trials undertaken by Ian Newton, DPI, Qld

Lockyer Valley/Toowoomba DPI, Qld

Evaluation of the potential for FAW pheromone traps to indicate changes in FAW activity in an adjacent field (November–January).
- Results will be discussed with growers and agronomists at the FAW AWM LV meetings.
Participation in the FAW Roadshow – Trevor Volp attending and presenting at meetings in WA (Carnarvon and Geraldton)
Preparation of practical resources for industry (FAW risk for different regions, field guide to natural enemies of FAW).

Macquarie University

Applied BioSciences, Attraction of predaceous arthropods to fall armyworm damaged plants and identification of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) - implications for biocontrol (2024/25).
- Trials undertaken by Rehan Silva, Vivian Mendez
Applied BioSciences, Towards sustainable management of FAW: Potentials of egg parasitoids (2025/26)

Trials undertaken by Rabia Ali, Bishwo Mainali

Applied BioSciences, Influence of host plants and temperature on biology and pheromone production of FAW (2025/26)

Trials undertaken by Rajendra Regmi, Bishwo Mainali

Growers in the Lockyer Valley, Bowen region, and Wide Bay Burnett can now see daily updates on fall armyworm (FAW) activity in their region, thanks to a groundbreaking project, “FAW National Surveillance,” exploring the use of RapidAIM traps to combat the invasive pest. The project is led and implemented by Bowen Gumlu Growers Association with funding through the VegNET Innovation fund. The project will utilise the National Vegetable Extension Network team of Regional Development Officers to coordinate and install the RapidAim traps and provide support to participating growers. This project aims to provide growers with real-time data on FAW populations, empowering them to make informed decisions about pest management strategies. As the network of RapidAIM traps rolls out, data provided by the internet-connected traps is fed into the National Fall Armyworm Monitoring Information pages.

Bowen RapidAIM Regional Report (Qld)
Wide Bay Burnett RapidAIM Regional Report (Qld)
Lockyer Valley RapidAIM Regional Report (Qld)
Gippsland RapidAIM Regional Report (Vic)
Goulburn Valley RapidAIM Regional Report (Vic)
NSW RapidAIM Regional Report (NSW)

VegNET 3.0 is a vegetable and onion industry extension program nationally coordinated by AUSVEG and funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable and onion research and development levies and contributions from the Australian Government.

Latest news and updates

Webinar: Strengthening Insecticide Resistance Management for Fall Armyworm Across the Region

How are industries around the world managing insecticide resistance in fall armyworm? Three experts from the US and Indonesia shared their knowledge and experience of managing FAW insecticide resistance with Australian industries and researchers at a webinar in December.

Insecticide resistance management: Strengthening the national fall armyworm project

As part of a new variation to VG22006 National Fall Armyworm Innovation System project, monitoring is being initiated to address the growing concern of insecticide resistance in fall armyworm (FAW) populations within the horticulture industry. This expansion of the project reflects national priorities and industry feedback, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated resistance monitoring, reporting, and management strategies.

New insights into fall armyworm pheromones may help Australian growers

Fall armyworm (FAW) continues to challenge Australian growers, but recent research offers new hope through pheromone-based strategies. The study led by Sanjana Akter examined the composition, timing, and influencing factors of pheromone release in local FAW populations. Researchers identified four key compounds, with (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9C14Ac) present in the highest amount.

Lockyer Valley industry gets updated on fall armyworm trials and ongoing research

A total of 24 growers, agronomists, and researchers from Lockyer Valley and Fassifern Valley gathered at the Gatton Research Facility in mid-September to discuss previous trial results and ongoing research on fall armyworm. Dr. Melina Miles, an entomologist from QDPI presented results from trials conducted as part of the VG23006 investment (Hort Innovation & QDPI), which included the following:

Collaboration strengthens fall armyworm management in Bowen–Burdekin

The Bowen–Burdekin FAW industry meeting brought together 24 growers, agronomists, researchers, and service providers to exchange research updates and field observations on fall armyworm (FAW) management. Key discussions covered unusually high FAW pressure in the Burdekin, promising results from pupae-busting trials, and improvements in monitoring tools such as pheromone traps and RapidAIM sensors.

Potential parasitoids for management of fall armyworm in horticulture systems of tropical Australia

From a collection of 1,900 fall armyworm larvae in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, researchers identified ten species of larval parasitoids as well as two species of egg parasitoids. Among the larval parasitoids, Cotesia ruficrus and Exorista xanthaspis were found to be the most abundant, accounting for 56.14% and 50%, respectively. The two egg parasitoid species recorded had parasitism rates of 7.81% for Trichogramma pretiosum and 10.16% for Telenomus remus.

Fall armyworm workshop ramps up awareness across East Gippsland (Victoria)

Over the last two years, fall armyworm (FAW) has become a potential pest in Victoria for current and future climates, with impacts on corn and maize crop production along with risks to many other grains and horticultural crops.