Global scientific progress and shortfalls in biological control of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda

Pest management research is not geared toward transformability

“…Of these 39.6% were categorized as reporting step 0 research while the remainder (n = 1,136) reported on the three steps along the ecological intensification continuum; efficiency (9.3%), substitution (48.3%) and redesign (2.7%) (Figure 1A). Research on efficiency has mostly been conducted in North America (n = 51) and Main Asia (n = 76), while progress on substitution has been primarily within South America (n = 345 publications) and North America (n = 291), consistent with the long biological control research trajectory in the pest's native range (Wyckhuys et al, 2024). Lastly, research on farming system redesign has mainly been conducted in North America (n = 18) and Africa (n = 13).…”