Spodoptera frugiperda was considered an insect pest only in the Americas until its first report in African countries in 2016. In this study, farmers and agricultural officials in Ghana were interviewed on their perceptions and knowledge of the pest, on infestation and maize yield variations across years, and on management practices. Farms were inspected to determine the infestation level of 100 plants per hectare. Interviews revealed that farmers were familiar with the larval stages of this pest and noticed that the pest occurred throughout the year, but populations of S. frugiperda increased only during cropping seasons. Infestation levels reported by farmers in surveys were much lower in 2018 (30.38%) than in 2017 (80.92%). Farm inspections confirmed that infestation levels were much lower in 2018 (20.90%) than 2017 (73.70%). The belt formed by Guinea Savannah, Transitional Zone, and Semi-Deciduous Forest Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) recorded the highest infestations while the lowest were observed from the Sudan Savannah and Tropical Rain Forest AEZs. Insecticides were the most commonly used tactic to manage populations of this new pest. Maize yields increased across Ghana between 2013 and 2015 from 1.52 to 1.73 t/ha, decreased between 2015 and 2017 to 1.55 t/ha, and increased to 1.69 t/ha in 2018. The impact of fall armyworm injury to maize production is discussed.

中文翻译：

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评估秋天粘虫，草地夜蛾（Spodoptera frugiperda）（鳞翅目：夜蛾科）对加纳玉米生产的影响

Spodoptera frugiperda仅在美洲被认为是一种害虫，直到2016年在非洲国家首次报告为止。在这项研究中，对加纳的农民和农业官员进行了访谈，了解他们对害虫的看法和知识，多年以来的侵扰和玉米产量变化，以及管理规范。检查农场以确定每公顷100株植物的侵染水平。访谈显示，农民对这种有害生物的幼虫阶段很熟悉，并注意到该有害生物全年发生，但是S. frugiperda种群仅在种植季节才增加。农民在调查中报告的侵害水平在2018年（30.38％）远低于2017年（80.92％）。农场检查证实，2018年（20.90％）的侵害水平远低于2017年（73.70％）。几内亚萨凡纳，过渡带和半落叶林农业生态区（AEZ）形成的带记录了最高的侵扰，而苏丹大草原和热带雨林AEZ观察到的侵扰最小。杀虫剂是管理这种新害虫种群的最常用策略。加纳2013年至2015年间玉米单产从1.52吨/公顷增加到1.73吨/公顷，2015年至2017年间降低至1.55吨/公顷，2018年增加到1.69吨/公顷。讨论了秋天粘虫对玉米生产的影响。