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Title: ANALYSIS OF DENSITY-DEPENDENT SURVIVAL OF DIABROTICA (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) IN CORN FIELDS

Author
item ONSTAD, DAVID - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item Hibbard, Bruce
item CLARK, THOMAS - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item CROWDER, DAVID - UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
item CARTER, KRIS - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/2006
Publication Date: 10/1/2006
Citation: Onstad, D.W., Hibbard, B.E., Clark, T.L., Crowder, D.W., Carter, K.G. 2006. Analysis of density-dependent survival of diabrotica (Coleoptera: chrysomelidae) in corn fields. Environmental Entomology. 35:1272-1278.

Interpretive Summary: The registration of transgenic corn with resistance to corn rootworm larval feeding offers a viable alternative to insecticides for managing the most economically important insect pests of corn. Maintaining susceptibility to transgenic crops (resistance management) is in the interest of growers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and industry, but requires an understanding of corn rootworm biology that does not currently exist. We analyzed published field data concerning rootworm survival from egg to adult to create general relationships between density and survival. A series of equations were generated that best fit the data and these equations may be used to help understand density-dependent survival of future studies. This information will be important to seed companies, the Environmental Protection Agency, and modelers in their attempts to understand efficacy of transgenic products and develop resistance management plans for transgenic corn.

Technical Abstract: We analyzed published field data concerning rootworm survival from egg to adult to create general relationships between density and survival. A series of equations were generated that best fit the data and these equations may be used to help understand density-dependent survival of future studies. In general, the data showed a decline in the proportion surviving to adulthood as egg density increased, especially at higher egg densities. In addition, the survival of northern corn rootworm is lower than that of western corn rootworm.