Hexamermis sp. a potential candidate for the biological control of the fall armyworm in two agroecological zones of Senegal

The Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda is an insect pest that causes huge losses to maize crops. The study was conducted in Senegal for two agro-ecological zones of the country during the rainy season in 2021. Results showed that the entomopathogenic nematode, Hexamermis sp., is present on S. frugiperda with parasitism rates ranging from 25.4% in Ziguinchor, 32.06% in the Tambacounda region, and 57.2 in the Kolda region. The overall infection percentage of the fall armyworm parasite nematode was 33.1% in these three regions. This study shows a high potential of Hexamermis sp. in the control of the pest S. frugiperda . This is the first report in Senegal on the efficacy of Hexamermis sp. against S. frugiperda under field conditions.