Europe Ponders Another Year Trying To Combat Fall Armyworm Without Modern Pesticides

Europe Ponders Another Year Trying To Combat Fall Armyworm Without Modern Pesticides

The polyphagous Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm), a Lepidopteran pest, has European farmers in a panic and, when the environmental NGOs government funds are not around, it has politicians concerned also. Though classified as a priority pest since 2023, fall armyworm remains easy to establish and fast to spread. Corn crops, a vital part of EU agriculture, remain at risk. Despite that, policymakers have been promoted using pesticides which wo…