Cultural and Chemical Control of the Lesser Cornstalk Borer in Southern California1

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Abstract
The lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zell.), is a pest of corn, sorghum, beans, grain, and a few other agricultural crops primarily in the southeastern desert areas of southern California but occasionally in southern coastal areas as well. Most weeds belonging to the grass family are important hosts in maintaining populations. Injury in California is confined almost entirely to the tender seeding stages of plant growth and arises primarily from migrating larvae resident within the field on miscellaneous hosts at planting time rather than from freshly deposited eggs. The most effective cultural control consists of destroying infested host plants within the field some weeks prior to planting. In the case of sorghums, which arc often planted flat for flood irrigation, a well-timed irrigation decimates the population sufficiently that usually satisfactory plant stands are assured. Successful insecticidal control is predicated upon preventive. applications. Endrin, aldrin, heptachlor, and dieldrin were the most effective of several insecticides investigated. There was little difference in effectiveness between granulated or spray formulations. Applications made at time of plant emergence were slightly superior to those made at planting time under the conditions of these experiments. Insecticides were applied in a narrow band along the seed furrow or row of seedling plants. Results with insecticides were satisfactory when the seeds were planted in beds at about a 40-ineh spacing, but when the seed was drilled into the soil in a flat planting with a row spacing of only a few inches, a similar amount of toxicant per acre did not give satisfactory plant protection.

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