Fall armyworm now represents a major threat to food security in virtually all countries that grow corn, with the potential for significant economic damage in many other crops. This presentation summarizes haplotype studies over the past three years comparing populations from four continents and discussing what they indicate about fall armyworm migration behaviors. Recent findings will be presented that have implications on the likelihood of multiple incursions into Africa from the Western Hemisphere and describe the geographical distribution of the two major subgroups of fall armyworm (the host strains) that differ in host plant preference and therefore largely determine what crops are at risk.
