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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242548

Title: Spatial and temporal distribution patterns of ear-feeding insect damage in pre-harvest corn

Author
item Ni, Xinzhi
item Wilson, Jeffrey - Jeff
item Cottrell, Ted
item BUNTIN, G. DAVID - University Of Georgia
item LEE, R. DEWEY - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2009
Publication Date: 1/15/2010
Citation: Ni, X., Wilson, J.P., Cottrell, T.E., Buntin, G., Lee, R. 2010. Spatial and temporal distribution patterns of ear-feeding insect damage in pre-harvest corn. Entomological Society of America Abstract no. 0877. http://esa.confex.com/esa/2009/webprogram/Paper44015.html.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: The key ear-feeding insects in the southeastern coastal plain region are the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, and the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), in recent years. The population dynamics of E. servus and S. zeamais were monitored for 17 and 8 wk respectively pre-harvest in three 1/6-hectare corn fields in 2007 and 2008. Ear-feeding insect damage (i.e., H. zea, E. servus and S. zeamais were assessed 4-and 1-wk pre-harvest using 9x9 m grid-sampling of the fields. The temporal patterns of E. servus and S. zeamais will be presented and discussed in relation to the spatial patterns of ear damage caused by H. zea, E. servus, and S. zeamais. The roles of both chewing and piercing-sucking insect feeding in aflatoxin contamination of corn kernels will also be discussed.