Impact of Altitude on Maize Infestation by Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Nyiragongo Territory, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Balthazar LUBUNGA KAPASA1* , Olivier TSHIPAMBA WA TSHIPAMBA1, Sylvain SOLIA EDONDOTO3, Albert OKUNGO LOTOKOLA3, Onésime MUBENGA KANKONDA4,5, Espoir BISIMWA BASENGERE2
ABSTRACT
The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a major pest of maize in the Democratic Republic of Congo, significantly affecting yields. This study aims to evaluate the incidence and severity of infestation based on altitude and crop associations in the Nyiragongo territory (North Kivu) from May 2022 to October 2023. Observations were conducted in ten maize fields located between 1500 and 1950 meters above sea level. The average incidence ranged from 38% in the lowest areas (< 1600 m) to 17% in the highest areas (> 1850 m), with a statistically significant difference (ANOVA, p = 0,01). The severity of the damage, measured using a visual score (Davis scale 1–9), also decreased with altitude (mean = 4,8 at low altitude against 2,1 at high altitude). In contrast, the equivalent density coefficient (EDC) did not show a significant effect on incidence (p > 0,05). Higher altitudes (> 1850 m) lead to a significant reduction in the incidence and severity of fall armyworm infestations, likely due to cooler temperatures that slow down larval development. The tested intercropping associations did not have a measurable effect on the incidence of infestation in this region. These results suggest that growing corn at higher altitudes or selecting varieties adapted to these areas could reduce losses related to the fall armyworm. Further research on the interaction between microclimatic conditions and natural enemies is recommended to improve integrated pest management strategies.
Keywords: Spodoptera frugiperda, maize, incidence, altitude, Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo
Affiliations
1Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, La Sapientia Catholic University of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
2Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, Catholic University of Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
3Faculty Institute of Agricultural Sciences of Yangambi/Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
4Department of Ecosystem Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resource Management, University of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
5Biodiversity Monitoring Centre, University of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Infos article
African J. Trop. Entomol. Res. 4(3):124-130.
© 2025, LUBUNGA et al.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE/ OPEN ACCESS
*Corresponding author: balthazarkapasa@gmail.com
Received: 04 Jun 2025
Accepted: 19 September 2025
Published : 18 December 2025
Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
Citation : LUBUNGA K.B., TSHIPAMBA W.T.O., SOLIA E.S., OKUNGO L.A., MUBENGA K.O., BISIMWA B.E.(2025). Impact of Altitude on Maize Infestation by Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Nyiragongo Territory, Democratic Republic of Congo. African journal of tropical entomology research, 4(3), 124-130.