Survival and Diapause Characteristics of Hybrids of Three Geographical Races of the European Corn Borer1,2,3,4

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Abstract
Survival and diapause of F1 progeny of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), from reciprocal matings of populations from the southern fringe (Alabama), east coast (Maryland), and northern fringe (Minnesota) of the species' distribution in the United States were studied in field cages during the summers of 1968–69 in the heart (Ankeny, Iowa) and on the northern fringe (Morris, Minnesota) of the Corn Belt. A microsporidian, Perezia pyraustae Paillot, affects survival, particularly of F1 populations with Minnesota parentage. Also, at Morris, the development of the plant hosts relative to the development of the insects affected the survival of populations with Maryland parentage. A direct relationship existed between the number of tunnels produced in corn stalks and the survival of all populations of European corn borer. However, the tunnels per borer tended to increase with decreased survival or with increased incidence of diapause among survivors. Thus, the feeding habits of survivors or of that portion of the survivors that had been in diapause may have changed. The data on incidence of diapause suggest a genetic difference in degree of sensitivity to photophase and temperatures between the Alabama and Maryland populations and the Minnesota population. The greatest sensitivity was expressed by the progenies from reciprocal matings of Minnesota with Alabama and Maryland populations.

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