**Farmers' Knowledge and Management Practices of Fall Armyworm,** *Spodoptera frugiperda* **(J.E. Smith) in Benin, West Africa**

**Sidol Houngbo 1, Afio Zannou 1,\*, Augustin Aoudji 1, Hervé C. Sossou 2, Antonio Sinzogan 1, Rachidatou Sikirou 2, Espérance Zossou 1, Henri S. Totin Vodounon 3, Aristide Adomou 4 and Adam Ahanchédé 1**


Received: 29 August 2020; Accepted: 21 September 2020; Published: 25 September 2020

**Abstract:** *Spodoptera frugiperda* has caused significant losses of farmer income in sub-Saharan countries since 2016. This study assessed farmers' knowledge of *S. frugiperda*, their perceptions and managemen<sup>t</sup> practices in Benin. Data were collected through a national survey of 1237 maize farmers. Ninety-one point eight percent of farmers recognized *S. frugiperda* damage, 78.9% of them were able to identify its larvae, and 93.9% of the maize fields were infested. According to farmers, the perceived yield losses amounted to 797.2 kg/ha of maize, representing 49% of the average maize yield commonly obtained by farmers. Chi-square tests revealed that the severity of the pest attacks was significantly associated with cropping practices and types of grown maize varieties. About 16% of farmers identified francolin (*Francolinus bicalcaratus*), village weaver (*Ploceus cucullatus*), and common wasp (*Vespula vulgaris*) as natural enemies and 5% of them identified yellow nutsedge, chan, shea tree, neem, tamarind, and soybean as repellent plants of *S. frugiperda*. Most farmers (91.4%) used synthetic pesticides and 1.9% of them used botanical pesticides, which they found more e ffective than synthetic pesticides. Significant relationships exist between farmers' managemen<sup>t</sup> practices, their knowledge, organization membership, and contact with research and extension services. More research is required to further understand the e ffectiveness of botanical pesticides made by farmers against *S. frugiperda* and to refine them for scaling-up.

**Keywords:** *Spodoptera frugiperda*; farmers' knowledge; perception; pest managemen<sup>t</sup> practices; maize yield losses; damage severity; fall armyworm
