Descripción de los principales métodos de control de Spodoptera frugiperda en el cultivo de maíz (Zea mays L) en la zona de Babahoyo, provincia de Los Ríos

Corn is one of the main grains grown in Ecuador. This grass has a vital meaning for the feeding of indigenous peoples; in addition to being considered a generator of life, which makes it a fundamental element of identity for our ancestors. In the country, this grain has been cultivated for centuries and is an important source of income for Ecuadorian families engaged in agriculture, chemical control is the most widely used practice to reduce populations of this insect. However, the products are generally used improperly or in doses sometimes lower than those recommended. Although much has been said and written about the origin of corn, there are still discrepancies regarding the details of its origin. Corn is generally considered to be one of the first plants cultivated by farmers 7,000 and 10,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of corn as a human food comes from some more archaeological sites where some small ears of corn estimated to be more than 5000 years old were found in caves of the primitive inhabitants. In Ecuador, a number of insect pests have been reported that cause damage to the corn crop. Of all of them, the most aggressive is the "heartworm" (Spodoptera frugiperda), which is a typical defoliator but behaves as a cutter, chopper and hearth. The small larvae destroy the epidermis of the leaves by feeding on its surface, leaving "scrapes", they also cut the corn seedlings at ground level. Large larvae devour foliage and penetrate the bud, where they hollow out and tear young corn tissue, and are potentially capable of damaging inflorescences.

Corn is one of the main grains grown in Ecuador. This grass has a vital meaning for the feeding of indigenous peoples; in addition to being considered a generator of life, which makes it a fundamental element of identity for our ancestors. In the country, this grain has been cultivated for centuries and is an important source of income for Ecuadorian families engaged in agriculture, chemical control is the most widely used practice to reduce populations of this insect. However, the products are generally used improperly or in doses sometimes lower than those recommended. Although much has been said and written about the origin of corn, there are still discrepancies regarding the details of its origin. Corn is generally considered to be one of the first plants cultivated by farmers 7,000 and 10,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of corn as a human food comes from some more archaeological sites where some small ears of corn estimated to be more than 5000 years old were found in caves of the primitive inhabitants. In Ecuador, a number of insect pests have been reported that cause damage to the corn crop. Of all of them, the most aggressive is the "heartworm" (Spodoptera frugiperda), which is a typical defoliator but behaves as a cutter, chopper and hearth. The small larvae destroy the epidermis of the leaves by feeding on its surface, leaving "scrapes", they also cut the corn seedlings at ground level. Large larvae devour foliage and penetrate the bud, where they hollow out and tear young corn tissue, and are potentially capable of damaging inflorescences.

El maíz es uno de los principales granos cultivados en el Ecuador. Esta gramínea tiene un significado vital para la alimentación de los pueblos indígenas; además de ser considerado un generador de vida, lo que lo convierte en un elemento fundamental de identidad para nuestros ancestros. En el país, este grano se viene cultivando desde hace siglos y es una importante fuente de ingreso para las familias ecuatorianas dedicadas a la agricultura, el control químico es la práctica más empleada para reducir las poblaciones de este insecto. Sin embargo, generalmente los productos son utilizados de forma inadecuada o en dosis algunas veces inferiores a las recomendadas. Aunque se ha dicho y escrito mucho acerca del origen del maíz, todavía hay discrepancias respecto a los detalles de su origen. Generalmente se considera que el maíz fue una de las primeras plantas cultivadas por los agricultores hace 7000 y 10000 años. La evidencia más antigua del maíz como alimento humano proviene de algunos lugares más arqueológicos en donde algunas pequeñas mazorcas de maíz estimadas en más de 5000 años de antigüedad fueron encontradas en cuevas de los habitantes primitivos. En el Ecuador se han reportado una serie de insectos plagas que causan daños en el cultivo de maíz. De todos ellos el más agresivo es el “gusano cogollero” (Spodoptera frugiperda), que es un típico defoliador, pero se comporta como cortador, trozador y cogollero. Las larvas pequeñas destruyen la epidermis de las hojas al alimentarse de su superficie, dejando “raspaduras”, también cortan las plántulas de maíz a nivel del suelo. Las larvas grandes devoran el follaje y penetran al cogollo, donde hacen hueco y desgarran los tejidos jóvenes del maíz, y son potencialmente capaces de dañar las inflorescencias.