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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #105651
Title: RESISTANCE OF 15 EXPERIMENTAL MAIZE LINES TO CORN EARWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE), FALL ARMYWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE), SOUTHWESTERN CORN BORER(LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE), AND SUGARCANE BORER (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Author
item Abel, Craig
item WILSON, R - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item WISEMAN, B - USDA-ARS RETIRED
item White, William
item Davis, Frank

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/14/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Plant resistance is a useful component of integrated pest management for several insects that are economically damaging to corn. In this study, 15 experimental lines of corn derived from a plant breeding program were evaluated for resistance to corn earworm, fall armyworm, southwestern corn borer, and sugarcane borer, all of which are very damaging to the crop. Experimental line 100-R-3 was resistant to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and line 116-B- 10 was resistant to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and leaf and stalk feeding by southwestern corn borer. When corn earworm larvae were fed silks from experimental line 81-9- B, their pupal weights were significantly lower than the pupal weights of larvae that were fed silks from the resistant check, Zapalote Chico. Low levels of maysin, a chemical commonly associated with corn earworm resistance, were present in the resistant experimental line, 107-8-7, indicating a new chemical or physical factor supplies the resistance for this line. These resistant experimental lines will provide plant breeders with new sources of resistance to lepidopterous insects for the development of improved maize breeding populations.

Technical Abstract: Plant resistance is a useful component of integrated pest management for several insects that are economically damaging to maize, Zea mays L. In this study, 15 experimental lines of maize derived from a backcross breeding program were evaluated for resistance to corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie); fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith); southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar; and sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Experimental line 100-R-3 was resistant to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and line 116-B- 10 was resistant to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and leaf and stalk feeding by southwestern corn borer. When corn earworm larvae were fed silks from experimental line 81-9- B, their pupal weights were significantly lower than the pupal weights of larvae that were fed silks from the resistant check, Zapalote Chico. Low levels of maysin, a chemical commonly associated with corn earworm resistance, were present in the resistant experimental line, 107-8-7, indicating a new basis confers resistance to corn earworm in this line. These resistant experimental lines will provide plant breeders with new sources of resistance to lepidopterous insects for the development of improved maize breeding populations.