European Corn Borer: Yield Losses and Damage Resulting from a Simulated Natural Infestation123

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A method of producing a Poisson distribution of egg masses over plants and time was developed for artificial infestation of field corn that simulates natural oviposition by Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). Data were collected for 2 yr on the length of cavities (cm) and subsequent yield losses by using different levels of infestation in a Poisson distribution. Yield losses and damage were greater during stage 5 (pollen-shedding) than during stage 2 (early whorl) of plant development. Statistically, significant correlations were obtained between shelled weight and ear weight (0.986), shelled weight and total cavities (-0.323 and -0.112), ear weight and total cavities (-0.321), shelled weight and entrance holes (-0.075), and entrance holes and total cavities (0.906).