Due to the fact that the occurrence of Spodoptera frugiperda can harm maize yields and is controlled basically through the use of chemical insecticides, it is crucial to improve the management of this pest by studying the insecticides' selectivity regarding the population of biological control agents. Therefore, the insecticide with insect growth regulating properties lufenuron (Match EC - 0.3 L/ha-1) and the organophosphate chlorpyrifos (Clorpirifós Fersol 480 EC - 0.6 L/ha-1), were analyzed regarding the control of fall armyworm populations and their impact on biological control agents in Cassilândia and Chapadão do Sul, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The analyses were performed weekly considering 100 plants which were distributed in 10 spots at random/treatment, regarding the variables: oviposition, attacked whorls and occurrence of biological control agents. The use of the products did not significantly affect the number of observed ovipositions in the treatments; the insecticide lufenuron showed higher efficiency on the control of fall armyworm and lower deleterious effects on the populations of natural enemies when compared to chlorpyrifos. Besides spiders and the predator Doru luteipes, the observed parasitoid species of the caterpillar were Chelonus sp., Campoletis sp. and Euplectrus sp.
Zea mays; fall armyworm; chemical control; parasitoids; predators