Fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) is a polyphagous pest, native to North and South America and is invasive in Eurasia and Africa. Life cycle and morphometric studies with the invasive population of FAW in Nepal were conducted under laboratory conditions in Chitwan, Nepal. Gravid females laid an average of 156.25 eggs per egg batch, with an average of 979.43 eggs during their whole lifetime. The average pre-oviposition period was 3.75 days, oviposition period was 3 days, the larval developmental period was 16.31 days, the pupal period was 9.69 days, and the whole life cycle (egg to egg) averaged 33 days. The average length of each instar larva from I to VI instars was 1.5, 3.6, 7.1, 11.6, 18.5, and 34.4 mm, respectively. Head capsule widths for each instar were 0.35, 0.47, 0.8, 1.37, 2.11, and 2.7 mm, respectively for instars first through sixth. Pupal and adult emergence rates were 98.9 and 97.2%, respectively, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.3. Larval mortalities of the I, II, and III instars were 70, 66, and 12%, with no mortality in the IV, V and VI instars. Adult longevity was 20.73 days for males and 22.78 days for females. These findings are useful to design an integrated management protocol of the fall armyworm. SAARC J. Agric., 20(1): 77-86 (2022)

The government of Nepal has recommended blanket fertilizer application for rice cultivation, which results in lower nutrient use efficiency (NUE) particularly under rainfed conditions. With the aim of finding an appropriate nutrient management practices concerning rice production and profitability, a field experiment was conducted during rainy season of 2017 and 2018 at Kavrepalanchowk and Dang district of Nepal. Altogether, five treatments comprising various nutrient management practices viz. Nutrient Expert Model (NE), use of Leaf Color Chart (LCC), Government Recommended Fertilizer Dose (GON), Farm Yard Manure (FYM), and Farmers’ Field Practice (FFP), were laid out in RCBD with four replications in farmers’ fields. The analysis of variance showed significant difference between treatments for test weight and grain yield in Kavrepalanchowk whereas all traits except number of effective tillers were significant in Dang. The significantly higher grain yield and harvest index were obtained in NE, followed by LCC; and the overall straw yield was highest in LCC, followed by NE in both the locations. Also, yield gap analysis suggested the NE had 44.44% and 23.97% increase in yield as compared to FPP in Kavrepalanchowk and Dang, respectively. The combined analysis with Best Linear Unbiased Estimator revealed the interaction of nutrient management and location significantly effects the straw yield and harvest index across both the locations. The estimated mean straw yield and harvest index were 10.93 t/ha and 34.98%, respectively. Both correlation study and biplot of principal component analysis signaled grain yield had positive correlation with all other traits. Furthermore, the net revenue was maximum for NE, followed by LCC in both the locations. The benefit: cost ratio was highest for NE which was 1.55 in Kavrepalanchowk and 2.61 in Dang. On the basis of these findings, NE and LCC can be effectively used as nutrient management practice by the farmers to obtain maximum production and profitability in Rice.

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith, is a polyphagous invasive pest that seriously affects the maize crop. Various insecticides such as Spinosad, Chlorantraniliprole, Imidacloprid, Emamectin benzoate, Spinetoram and Neem-based insecticides are recommended to control this pest. However, their efficacy is not well studied in Nepal. Hence, a study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the above-mentioned insecticides for FAW management in laboratory experiments. Seven different treatments (six insecticides such as Spinosad 45% SC, Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC, Imidacloprid 17.8% SL, Emamectin benzoate 5% SC, Spinetoram 11.7% SC, Neem-based pesticide (Azadirachtin 1500 ppm) and control (water spray) were evaluated in three replicated CRD design. Spinosad and Spinetoram were found effective for the FAW mortality in which > 50% mortality of the larva was obtained in twelve hours and > 90 % mortality in twenty-four hours. Likewise, Emamectin benzoate and Chlorantraniliprole also caused > 90% mortality within twenty-four hours. Azadirachtin and Imidacloprid were not as effective as other pesticides that caused only 17% larval mortality in the first twelve hours and 68% mortality in sixty hours. Similarly, Imidacloprid caused 8% larval mortality in twelve hours and 59% mortality in sixty hours. There was no mortality in water spray (control). This information gives an idea of all pesticides are not equally effective and efficient. Such information’s are important to the farmers to select the right insecticides for the control of FAW in maize crops.

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda is an invasive and notorious pest of maize in many countries including Nepal. Several approaches of integrated management have been adopted for its control, chemical being the most popular choice in the farmers’ fields. Efficacy of such chemical pesticides for fall armyworm is interpreted as per the location, season, time and crops. In some cases, insect pests are always increasing the pesticide resistance. Hence to minimize the confusion of insecticide efficiency in various levels of understanding in the farmers’ level, field research was conducted in October 2021 to April, 2022. Seven different treatments (azadirachtin, chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate, spinosad, spinetoram, imidacloprid and control) were tested in a four replicated RCBD design. Two sprays were made in twenty-days after seeding and fifteen-days after first spray in openfield condition. Minimum damage across various stages of maize plant was recorded inspinosad sprayed plots followed by spinetoram, chlorantraniliprole and emamectin benzoate, respectively. Maize yield was also recorded highest in spinosad and spinetoram sprayed plots. Highest score of damage was recorded in imidacloprid treated plots. This study further proved spinosad and spinetoram are the most popularly applied insecticides for the fall armyworm management.

Daraudi river basin and sub-basins consisted of numerous fertile tars, phants and upland (24173 ha) supplying foods in settlements and neighboring cities. Agriculture in this area is no more attractive because of small size land/farm holdings (0.25ha/HH), subsistence farming, high production cost, higher agricultural risks, low productivity and low income. The aim of this research was to investigate the way of economic resilience by means of commercial agriculture, agricultural risk reduction, implementation of agriculture engineering and linking farm activities to services. Relevant literatures were reviewed, field verification and interactions were made in different rural municipalities/municipalities in the year 2021. The study found that the maize and millet in upland and rice-based cropping system in irrigated land are common in water shed and basin area. Cattle (35,709), buffalo (27,921), goat (82,358), sheep (6,806), pigs (5,430) and chicken (1,92,584) are major livestock kept. The area is in balance only on cereals (17,864 mt) and spices (735.3 mt/year) and deficit in all other foods. Land fallow (27.0%) is increasing because of youth out migration (0.72 persons/HH/year). The respondents demanded establishment of larger farm sizes (82.2%) from land pulling, farmers/entrepreneurs organizations development (54.4%), identification of profitable and competitive value chain for commercial production (74.4%), promote agriculture engineering activities (94.4%), minimization of agricultural and environmental risks (57.8%) and creation of local off farm employment (56.7%). They also suggested to have a commercial farm operation guideline (46.7%), linking all farm operation to services (55.6%, linking neighboring small producers with commercial farm for services (52.2%) and establishing a strong collaboration among all stakeholders in an integrated approach (42.2% respondents). It is recommended to address the demand of the respondents for restoring the competitive and commercial agriculture in river basin of Daraudi river. Similar recommendation may apply to other river basins in Nepal.