The Effectiveness of Br-Corn Hybrids for Control of European Corn Borer, 1996
Abstract Corn was planted at the University of Illinois Cruse Farm, Champaign, Illinois, on 24 May. The experimental design was a split plot with natural or manual infestation of ECB as the main plots and 5 different B/-corn hybrids and their non-Br isolines as the subplots. Each plot was 4 rows (30-inch) wide X 40 ft long with 35 plants per row (after thinning). Treatments were replicated 5 times. Manual ECB infestations to simulate the first-generation were made on 3 and 6 July at the V7 corn leaf stage by releasing approximately 50 neonate larvae in corn grit into the whorls of corn plants using a ‘bazooka’ applicator. Manual ECB infestations to simulate the second-generation were made at corn anthesis on 7 Aug by applying approximately 25 neonate larvae in corn grit to the leaf exiles above and below the ear node. On 8 Aug, 25 neonate larvae were applied to the ear node and the second leaf axil above the ear node. All manual infestations were made to all plants (70 total) in the middle 2 rows of each plot. On 31 Jul, 20 consecutive plants were rated for leaf feeding by first generation larvae by using the 1 to 10 Guthrie scale. On 9 and lOOct, 15 consecutive plants from 1 of the middle 2 rows were split with a corn knife for evaluation. The number of plants with cavities and the total length of cavities per plant were recorded. Also, the number of live larvae per plant was recorded. The mean percentage of plants with cavities, the mean length of stalk tunneling (in inches) per plant and the mean number of live larvae were determined for each plot. ECB damage to the ear and shank were analyzed separately from the stalk damage data. An ear rating scale of 1 to 3 was used, with 1 being tip damage only, 2 being side damage only, and 3 being tip + side damage on the same ear. Shelled grain weights (yields) were taken from the 15 dissected plants, corrected to 15.5% moisture, and added to the machine harvested weights (moisture corrected) for the remaining plants of the middle 2 rows in each plot.