Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T17:36:02.709Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

THE SEVERITY OF STALK ROT OF GRAIN CORN IN RELATION TO INFESTATIONS OF A BIVOLTINE STRAIN OF THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER, OSTRINIA NUBILALIS (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

W. H. Foott
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Harrow, Ontario N0R 1G0
P. R. Timmins
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Harrow, Ontario N0R 1G0

Extract

Corn lodging due to bent or broken stalks results mostly from feeding by the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), and from stalk rot infections. Stalk rot of corn (Zea mays L.) is caused in southwestern Ontario mainly by Gibberella zeae (Schw.) Petch (Fusarium graminearum Schwabe), which attacks roots during the summer and invades the bases of the stems as the plants mature (Gates and Mortimore 1972). Several studies in the U.S.A. reported an association between the rot and the borer. Christensen and Schneider (1950) recorded severest stalk rot with highest borer infestation and found that inbred lines usually free from rot became susceptible when infested by the borer. Chiang and Wilcoxson (1961) reported a higher incidence of rot in plants artificially inoculated with Fusarium graminearum and borer larvae than in those inoculated with F. graminearum alone. A recent study in Iowa (Jarvis et al. 1982) showed that the greatest stalk rot damage occurred in high borer infestations. Carson and Hooker (1981), however, were unable to relate the incidence and severity of rot to corn borer infestation. In their 3-year study, the least rot occurred in the year of severest borer infestation. Since observations in corn fields in southwestern Ontario also indicated that there might not be a direct relationship between severity of stalk rot and severity of corn borer infestation, further studies were undertaken.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carson, M. L. and Hooker, A. L.. 1981. Inheritance of resistance to stalk rot of corn caused by Colletotrichum graminicola. Phytopathology 71: 11901196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chiang, H. C. and Wilcoxson, R. D.. 1961. Interactions of the European corn borer and stalk rot in corn. J. econ. Ent. 54: 850852.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christensen, J. J. and Schneider, C. L.. 1950. European corn borer (Pyrausta nubilalis (Hbn.)) in relation to shank, stalk, and ear rots of corn. Phytopathology 40: 284291.Google Scholar
Gates, L. F. and Mortimore, C. G.. 1972. Effects of removal of groups of leaves on stalk rot and yield in corn. Can. J. Plant Sci. 52: 929935.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarvis, J. L., Clark, R. L., and Guthrie, W. D.. 1982. Effect of second-generation European corn borers on resistance of maize to Diplodia maydis. Phytopathology 72: 11491152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar