Relationship of forage quality to developmental parameters of the fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Nine developmental parameters for the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smtih), reared on "Coastal" bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., were regressed on commonly employed analytical tests of forage quality for cattle (i.e., crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD)). Highly significant r super(2) values were obtained for the FAW parameters regressed on both crude protein and IVDMD. The r super(2) values for IVDMD declined with increasing age of the grass for most of the FAW parameters. Thus, improvements in bermudagrasses based on increased protein or digestibility are likely to increase their susceptibility to the FAW.