Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #109209
Title: REISTANCE TO EUROPEAN CORN BORER (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALDAE) AND WESTERN CORN ROOTWORM (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) IN EXPERIMENTAL MAIZE LINES DEVELOPED FROM A BACKCROSS BREEDING PROGRAM

Author
item Abel, Craig
item Berhow, Mark
item Wilson, Richard
item Binder, Bradley
item Hibbard, Bruce

Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Plant resistance is a promising control method for the two most damaging insects of corn: the European corn borer and the western corn rootworm. Fifteen experimental lines of corn, derived from a backcross breeding program, were evaluated for resistance to European corn borer and western corn rootworm. The experimental lines were in the second generation of backcrossing. All experimental lines were resistant to leaf feeding by European corn borer and had low levels of a chemical (DIMBOA) commonly associated with leaf feeding resistance. Eleven experimental lines were resistant to leaf sheath and collar feeding by European corn borer. Useful sources of resistance to European corn borer egg laying and root feeding by western corn rootworm were not identified. Some of the lines evaluated in this study may provide useful sources of resistance to both leaf and leaf sheath and collar feeding by European corn borer. Currently, maize hybrids sgenetically altered to express toxins for controlling European corn borer have been successfully developed and marketed. However, insect biotypes may develop that can damage these maize plants and genetically modified maize is not accepted for human use in several countries. The non- genetically modified experimental lines evaluated in this study will give growers protection from European corn borer while making their grain acceptable to all international markets. Also, the resistance factor in these new lines can be combined with the transgenic resistance factor to increase the durability of the transgenic resistance.

Technical Abstract: Plant resistance is a promising control method for the two most damaging insects of maize, Zea mays L.: the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), and the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. Fifteen experimental lines of maize, derived from a backcross breeding program designed to introgres resistance to European corn borer from Peruvian maize into two U.S. Corn Belt adapted inbred lines, were evaluated for resistance to European corn borer and western corn rootworm. The experimental lines were in the second generation of backcrossing. All experimental lines were resistant to leaf blade feeding by European corn borer and had low levels of 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA), a chemical commonly associated with leaf blade feeding resistance. Eleven experimental lines were resistant to leaf sheath and collar feeding by European corn borer. Useful sources of European corn borer ovipositional nonpreference and root feeding resistance to western corn rootworm were not identified. Some of the lines evaluated in this study may provide useful sources of resistance to both leaf blade and leaf sheath and collar feeding by European corn borer.