Abstract:

To establish a solid theoretical foundation for the efficient management of insect pests in corn crops, practical plant protection strategies that reduce the amount of pesticides should be explored. A study was conducted to investigate the occurrence of Spodoptera frugiperda on maize in the mountainous area of Mengga Town, Mangshi City, Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Two types of pesticides, 5% emamectin benzoate and 15% indoxacarb, were tested on Spodoptera frugiperda in corn fields using plant protection drones and knapsack electric sprayers. Spodoptera frugiperda larvae can cause damage in the whole growth period of maize, and the infestation rate, damage index, number of insects per 100 plants, and the proportion of different insect ages in different growth stages of maize are significant different, and Spodoptera frugiperda is the most harmful in the big bell stage of maize. Two different methods of applying 5% emamectin benzoate and 15% indoxacarb had a significant impact on the incidence of Spodoptera frugiperda in maize fields. The damage rate and index of maize also showed a significant decrease between 3 to 14 days after application. There was no significant difference in the relative control efficacy of the same pesticide against Spodoptera frugiperda under two different methods. Still, the use of plant protection drones pesticide application had the advantages of labor-saving, time-saving, and pesticide-saving. Spodoptera frugiperda control had a positive effect on increasing the production of maize in the yield, and the experimental treatments results showed a significant increase in yield of the test variety 'Yunrui 62', with 25.28% to 28.93% production increase compared to the control treatment. In total, it is recommended to use UAVs equipped with anti-spray technology to protect plants during large-scale Spodoptera frugiperda control. Additionally, it's important to conduct thorough investigations and implement field management practices to prevent corn insect infestations, which are crucial for achieving high and stable crop yields. It's important to focus on integrating, demonstrating, and promoting the use of this technology in the future.

Key words: mountainous corn, Spodoptera frugiperda, field efficacy tests, plant protection drone