Western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith), has undergone a recent eastward expansion from the western U.S. Corn Belt to Pennsylvania and parts of Canada. Little is known about its ecology and behavior, particularly during the early instars, on corn (Zea mays L.). There is a narrow treatment window for larvae, and early detection of the pest in the field is essential. An understanding ...

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, continues to be a significant pest of corn (Zea mays L.) in the United States. Because of recent changes in their distribution (now in Europe; Kiss et al. 2005) the impact of this pest is growing. While a variety of management tools are still available for growers, some of the current options including crop rotation (Gray et al....

Knowledge on movement and spatial patterns of insect pest populations among preferred hosts aids in the development of effective pest management strategies. In this study, we quantified the spatiotemporal dynamics of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål 1855), in relation to field corn, Zea mays L., and soybean, Glycine max (L.), crop phenology. We also examined the ...

Aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen, is produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link: Fr. Drought, high temperatures, and insect damage contribute to increased levels of aflatoxin contamination in corn, Zea mays L. Plant resistance is widely considered a desirable method of reducing aflatoxin contamination. Germplasm lines with aflatoxin resistance have been developed. This investigation was under...

Corn rootworms (Chrysomelidae: Diabrotica spp.) are widespread maize (Zea mays L.) pests that can cause economic damage by consuming plant tissues, thus negatively affecting plant physiology and function (Riedell 1990; Riedell and Reese 1999), and grain yield (Sutter et al. 1990; Spike and Tollefson 1991). The majority of plant damage is caused by the subterranean larval stages, which can also ...

Corn (Zea mays L.) hybrid selection is one of the most important agricultural management decisions made by farmers. Both genetic yield potential and adaptation to local environment vary widely across corn hybrids, have a direct impact on input costs. This study compared performance hybrids with contrasting comparative relative maturity (CRM, referring their growth cycle), evaluate differences i...

Adequate fertility combined with effective weed management is important in maximizing corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield. Corn uptake of nitrogen (N) is dependent upon many factors including weed species and density and the rate and formulation of applied N fertilizer. Understanding interactions among corn, applied N, and weeds is important in developing management strategies. Field studies were co...

The carotenoid content of fresh, commercially canned and frozen samples of two cultivars, White Shoepeg (WS) and Golden Whole Kernel (GWK) corn (Zea mays), from the same production field was studied. WS and GWK corn samples were harvested daily over a five-day-period and randomly selected for analysis as fresh, frozen or canned. Major carotenoids detected were lutein and zeaxanthin, and to a le...

To delay evolution of insect resistance to transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins, nearby "refuges" of host plants not producing Bt toxins are required in many regions. Such refuges are expected to be most effective in slowing resistance when the toxin concentration in Bt crops is high enough to kill all or nearly all insects heterozygous for resistance. However, Bt corn,...