TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantitative assessment of biotic mortality factors of the european corn borer (lepidoptera: crambidae) in field corn
AU - Phoofolo, Mpho W.
AU - Obrycki, John J.
AU - Lewis, Leslie C.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Five treatments were used to exclude naturally occurring predators and parasitoids, based on body size and flight ability, to assess their effect on Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) populations on corn plants. Two initial O. nubilalis egg densities (one egg mass and three egg masses per plant) were assigned to each treatment. Egg predation was higher in uncaged treatments than in caged treatments. Flying insect predators, primarily Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), reduced egg densities by 50%. Thirty-five to 84% of O. nubilalis larvae were infected with Nosema pyrausta (Paillot) (Microspora: Nosematidae). The incidence of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes), ranged from 0 to 21%, whereas larval parasitism, mainly by Macrocentnis cingulum Reinhard (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) ranged from 0 to 31%. In contrast to previous studies, this 3-yr field study documents that egg predation and larval infections of O. nubilalis were significant and consistent biotic mortality factors.
AB - Five treatments were used to exclude naturally occurring predators and parasitoids, based on body size and flight ability, to assess their effect on Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) populations on corn plants. Two initial O. nubilalis egg densities (one egg mass and three egg masses per plant) were assigned to each treatment. Egg predation was higher in uncaged treatments than in caged treatments. Flying insect predators, primarily Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), reduced egg densities by 50%. Thirty-five to 84% of O. nubilalis larvae were infected with Nosema pyrausta (Paillot) (Microspora: Nosematidae). The incidence of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes), ranged from 0 to 21%, whereas larval parasitism, mainly by Macrocentnis cingulum Reinhard (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) ranged from 0 to 31%. In contrast to previous studies, this 3-yr field study documents that egg predation and larval infections of O. nubilalis were significant and consistent biotic mortality factors.
KW - Biological control
KW - Coleomegilla maculata
KW - Natural control
KW - Nosema pyrausta
KW - Ostrinia nubilalis
KW - Predation
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U2 - 10.1603/0022-0493-94.3.617
DO - 10.1603/0022-0493-94.3.617
M3 - Article
C2 - 11425014
AN - SCOPUS:0035376007
SN - 0022-0493
VL - 94
SP - 617
EP - 622
JO - Journal of Economic Entomology
JF - Journal of Economic Entomology
IS - 3
ER -