Source: Dominic Reisig, NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, 10/3/19


During the past few days, we have had a major increase of caterpillar defoliation reports in soybeans and sweet potato from southeastern NC counties. Field visits south of Highway 70 and east of I-95 confirmed that fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) infestations are widespread. In soybean, significant defoliation and pod feeding has occurred in multiple fields. In sweet potato, several growers have reported significant defoliation and direct root feeding.

In North Carolina, two different strains of fall armyworm can cause crop damage. The 'corn strain’ is the most concerning and can cause economic damage in multiple crops (including soybeans). The 'grass strain’ is adapted to common weedy grasses and typically causes issues in fields with poor weed control following herbicide applications. We think most of the issues being reported now are from the corn strain. Unfortunately, the corn strain can be less sensitive to common insecticides, like pyrethroids, and you can’t tell the corn and grass strain apart from looking at the caterpillars.

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