Genetic characterization of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Ecuador and comparisons with regional populations identify likely migratory relationships

PLoS One. 2019 Sep 19;14(9):e0222332. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222332. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is an important agricultural pest native to the Americas that has recently been introduced into the Eastern Hemisphere where it has spread rapidly through most of Africa and much of Asia. The long-term economic consequences of this invasion will depend on how the species and important subpopulations become distributed upon reaching equilibrium, which is expected to be influenced by a number of factors including climate, geography, agricultural practices, and seasonal winds, among others. Much of our understanding of fall armyworm movements have come from mapping genetically defined subpopulations in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in North America where annual long-distance migrations of thousands of kilometers have been documented and modeled. In contrast, fall armyworm mapping in much of the rest of the hemisphere is relatively incomplete, with the northern portion of South America particularly lacking despite its potential importance for understanding fall armyworm migration patterns. Here we describe the first genetic description of fall armyworm infesting corn in Ecuador, which lies near a likely migration conduit based on the location of regional trade winds. The results were compared with populations from corn habitats in select locations in the Caribbean and South America to investigate the possible migratory relationship between these populations and was further assessed with respect to prevailing wind patterns and the distribution of locations with climate favorable for fall armyworm population establishment and growth.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Migration
  • Animals
  • Ecuador
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / genetics
  • Female
  • Genes, Insect / genetics
  • Genetic Markers / genetics
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Spodoptera / genetics*
  • Triose-Phosphate Isomerase / genetics

Substances

  • Genetic Markers
  • Electron Transport Complex IV
  • Triose-Phosphate Isomerase

Grants and funding

The authors R.N.N. and B.Y.N. received support came from the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, USAID, and the United States Department of Agriculture National Institutes for Food and Agriculture (2011-67003-30209). The authors E.C., B.N., R.S., and S.G-C received support from the National Institute of Agriculture Research (INIAP), Ecuador, authorized by the agreement between the INIAP and the Ministry of Environment of Ecuador reference number MAE-DNB-CM-2015-0024. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.