Journal of Agricultural Science; Vol. 12, No. 10; 2020 ISSN 1916-9752 E-ISSN 1916-9760 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 16 Performance of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Fed on Six Host Plants: Potential Risks to Mid-high Latitude Crops in China Yu Chen 1 , Jingfei Guo 1 , Zupeng Gao 1,2 , Kanglai He 1 , Shuxiong Bai 1 , Tiantao Zhang 1 & Zhenying Wang 1 1 State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China 2 Engineering Research Center of Natural Enemy Insects/Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China Correspondence: Zhenying Wang, State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China. Tel: 86-10-6281-5945. E-mail: zywang@ippcaas.cn Received: July 22, 2020 Accepted: August 25, 2020 Online Published: September 15, 2020 doi:10.5539/jas.v12n10p16 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v12n10p16 Abstract The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a polyphggous and widespread insect pest. In the study, the biological characteristics and nutritional indices of S. frugiperda fed on six crops, namely corn, sorghum, wheat, soybean, peanut, and cotton, were investigated under laboratory conditions. These crops are cultivated mainly in the mid-high latitude of China. Results showed that S. frugiperda was able to develop and reproduce on all six tested plants. Larvae reared on corn exhibited a significant shorter larval and pupal duration, higher pupal weight, and higher fecundity, which were 16.2 d, 8.9 d, 0.248 g, and 979.4 eggs per female, respectively. The host plant significantly affected relative growth, consumption, and metabolic rates, as well as other nutritional indices. Biology and nutritional indexes suggested that corn was the most suitable host. Besides, peanut, sorghum, and wheat have also been shown to be the suitable hosts for S. frugiperda. Although cotton and soybean were found to be less adequate, high larval and pupal survivors recorded on cotton and soybean leaves have indicated that damage may occur in these plants. This work reveals the damage risk of potential hosts of S. frugiperda, lays the foundation for the design of pest management strategies. Keywords: fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, biology, nutritional index, food consumption 1. Introduction The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is an important polyphagous pest native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas (Sparks, 1979; Nagoshi et al., 2017). It is widely distributed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina (Clark et al., 2007). In January 2016, S. frugiperda was detected in western Africa (Goergen et al., 2016; Nagoshi et al., 2018). In May 2018, this pest was discovered in southwest India (Sharanabasappa et al., 2018). In January 2019, S. frugiperda was first observed in Yunnan Province, southwest of China, and subsequently invaded 26 different provinces except for Xinjiang, Qinghai, and northeastern China (Guo et al., 2018; Jing et al., 2020). So far, S. frugiperda has been confirmed in eastern and southern Asian countries (Sun et al., 2019; Li et al., 2020). S. frugiperda is commonly referred as the corn (C) strain, and the rice (R) strain (Quisenberry, 1991; Nagoshi & Meagher, 2004). The caterpillars of S. frugiperda can damage over 350 plant species, causing severe yield losses in many economic crops, especially corn (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) (Nagoshi, 2009; Bueno et al., 2011; Montezano et al., 2018; Guo et al., 2020). This pest causes damage on corn with average losses of 26.6% in Ghana and 35% in Zambia (Day et al., 2017), and reduced grain yields of up to 55% and annual losses of US $ 400 million (Lima et al., 2010). Necessary biological studies on the consumption and utilization of different host plants are essential to address the effects of the nutritional composition of different plants on the pest (Scriber & Slansky, 1981; Barros et al., 2010). Host plants can affect the life history of insects in many ways, including development, survivorship,