Genome of Fall Armyworm decoded: Moth pest is invading Africa

As part of an international consortium, researchers have sequenced one of the first genomes of a moth from the superfamily Noctuoidea: Spodoptera frugiperda, or armyworm. This crop pest — until now only known on the American continent — has become invasive in Africa since 2016. This study opens up perspectives for new methods of biological control and a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the appearance of pesticide resistance.