European Corn Borer Damage to Sweet Corn as Affected by the Date of Planting1

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Abstract
The effects of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner)) on the growth and yield of a common variety of sweet corn, the Golden Cross Bantam, were studied in seven plantings in Waseca, Minnesota, in 1949 and 1950 during which the borer infestations were very heavy in the area. The results showed the following facts: (1) The early planting Received more eggs of the first generation but fewer eggs of the second generation than the late plantings. (2) Even in the plantings with very high borer populations, the height of plants and the number and size of ears were not significantly reduced and stalk breakage below the ears was negligible. (3) Borer infestation significantly affected the extent of borer injury on the ears. In processing the trimming necessary to eliminate injured kernels in the early , mid-season, and late plantings in 1949 was 7.0%, 3.3% and 14.8% of the total crop, respectively. It was also found that irrespective of the level of borer infestation, tip kernel damage was associated with silk injury, and side kernel damage with husk injury, and that cars with no injury on silk and husk usually suffered no kernel damage. This relationship indicates that the extent and kinds of kernel damage may be estimated in the field by superficial examination of the silk and husk injury.