ARS | Publication request: Economic injury level of brown stink bug damage on developing corn ears

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Regional Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 21, 2008
Publication Date: April 2, 2008
Citation: Ni, X., Da, K., Buntin, G., Cottrell, T.E., Tillman, P.G., Olson, D.M., Krakowsky, M.D. 2008. Economic injury level of brown stink bug damage on developing corn ears [abstract]. Georgia Entomological Society Annual Meeting, April 2-4, 2008, Cordele, Georgia.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: The damage by the brown stink bugs, Euschistus servus (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on developing corn ears was examined in 2005 and 2006. All corn ears used in the study were at three stages around flowering (i.e., VT, R1, and R3). In 2005, 0, 3, 6 bugs per ear were used, while in 2006, 0, 1, 2, and 4 bugs per ear were used. The duration of the infestation was 7-8 days for both years. Each treatment had five replications per experiment, and the experiment was repeated twice each year. All ears used in the study were confined individually using sleeve cages. Eight parameters were recorded for each sampled ear (i.e., stink bug feeding punctures, ear length, ear weight, total number of kernels, discolored kernels, aborted kernels, total kernel weight, and one-hundred-kernel weight). In 2005, insect feeding puncture per ear was not affected by plant growth stage (P = 0.6969) but by stink bug number (P = 0.0001). The number of discolored kernels per ear was significantly affected by stink bug number (P = 0.0064), but not plant growth stage (P = 0.1582). In contrast, the number of aborted kernels was affected by stink bug number (P = 0.0007) and plant growth stage (P = 0.0001). Kernel weight per ear was also affected by stink bug number (P = 0.0292) and plant growth stage (P = 0.0001). All other parameters were not affected by either stink bug number, plant growth stage, or their interactions (P > 0.05). In 2006, the feeding puncture per ear was not affected by plant growth stage (P = 0.9081) but by stink bug number (P = 0.0001). The number of discolored kernels per ear was not affected by either stink bug number or plant growth stage (P-values > 0.2). In contrast, the number of aborted kernels was affected by stink bug number (P = 0.0181) and plant growth stage (P = 0.0026). Kernel weight per ear was also affected by stink bug number (P = 0.0021) and plant growth stage (P = 0.0001). All other parameters were not affected by either stink bug number, plant growth stage, or their interactions (P > 0.05).