Planting time shapes fall armyworm infestation dynamics and associated yield loss of maize in Bangladesh

Abstract

In Bangladesh, maize is usually cultivated from early November to mid-December, however, recent intensification of cropping systems has expanded its cultivation period from October to March to accommodate region-specific patterns. The invasion of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), in 2018 has since posed a serious threat to maize cultivation. This study assessed the seasonal dynamics of FAW infestation and its effects on maize under IPM and control conditions across six planting months over three consecutive years in the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain (AEZ 1), Bangladesh. Field experiments followed a split-plot design with sowing month as the main plot and treatment as the subplot. Two treatments were applied: (i) IPM plots received seed treatment with cyantraniliprole followed by foliar applications of biopesticides, and insecticides; and (ii) an untreated control. Leaf infestation was assessed from V4-V12 stages, and cob damage, grain yield, and yield loss were recorded at harvest. Heatmap analysis showed consistently high infestation in control plots, peaking at 99.3% during February-March, whereas IPM plots maintained low infestation (<4%). Infestation in untreated control plots exhibited a U-shaped, non-linear response to planting time, described by a cubic polynomial model (R2 = 0.456), with highest levels in October and March and lowest in December. Cob damage and damage intensity mirrored infestation patterns, with maximum damage in March (20.3%) and significantly higher values in control plots than IPM ones. Grain yield was significantly influenced by planting month and treatment, and their interaction. Yield loss also varied across planting month, with the highest losses in March (31.6%) and February (19.4%) and minimal losses during November-January (<3.3%). These findings demonstrate that combining October planting with the recommended IPM approach maximizes maize production, whereas planting from October to January without intervention helps reduce fall armyworm (FAW) infestation and maintain yield stability in Bangladesh.