Fall armyworm research, development and extension for horticulture

For the widely grown sweet corn variety Garrison, no economic threshold could be established because plants experience significant yield and harvestability losses even with the shortest exposure to FAW during the vegetative stages. Infestations of one larva per plant for just one week during mid- to late-vegetative stages led to stunting, infertility, and poorly filled cobs. A longer infestation period of 3 weeks resulted in more severe impacts and almost total yield loss. This lack of tolerance emphasises the need to prioritise breeding varieties with greater tolerance to defoliation and the capacity to recover from damage. These findings also clarify what growers already know that intensive chemical intervention is necessary in sweet corn to avoid yield impacts resulting from FAW infestations.

Read more about the trials and results