Bioacoustic Communication, Mating Behavior, and its Disruption as a Novel Control Strategy for Spodoptera frugiperda in Nigerian Maize Agroecosystems

Spodoptera frugiperda uses vibrational communication and acoustic signals during courtship and mating, yet the bioacoustics of West African populations have not been characterized. Mating disruption using conspecific vibrational signals represents an unexplored, residue-free control approach for this invasive pest in Nigeria, where chemical control currently dominates despite resistance concerns. This study characterizes the bioacoustic communication of S. frugiperda under Nigerian conditions and investigates the feasibility of mating disruption as a novel control strategy. Laser vibrometry will record calling and response signals of Nigerian S. frugiperda adults reared from field-collected larvae across three ecological zones. Signal parameters will be compared between populations from South West, North Central, and North East collection sites to detect geographic variation. Playback experiments in wind tunnels and semi-field arenas will determine whether synthetic signal mimics disrupt mating success. A preliminary field trial at six maize plots in Benue State will test artificially broadcast vibrational disruption signals against untreated controls, measuring larval infestation rates. The study makes a pioneering original contribution by introducing vibrational mating disruption as a research direction for fall armyworm management in Africa, providing both basic behavioral ecology data and applied pest management innovation. Keywords: Spodoptera frugiperda, bioacoustics, mating disruption, vibrational communication, fall armyworm control