Remote sensing and geographic information system applications as early-warning tools in monitoring fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda: a review

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Since its first occurrence in Africa in 2016, it invaded several countries in African and Asian continents. It is an insect pest of significant concern due to its destructive nature, resulting in damage to over 350 host plant species over about 70 plant families, with the families of Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae are the most preferred ones. Since favorable weather conditions are essential for FAW to cause damage, it would be effective to predict its migration based on weather forecasting using Internet of Things (IoT)-based technologies, such as remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS). In this review, I outlined the state-of-the-art research achievements regarding the applications of remote sensing and GIS that have been conducted at multiple scales to manage FAW primarily in Africa and Asia, with few studies from the Americas. Several prospects that may help in monitoring FAW using remote sensing and GIS technologies were highlighted.