In Egypt, maize plants are severely attacked by different species of Lepidopteran pests, the most importn1lt being the corn borers: the pink borer or greater sugar cane borer, Sesamia cretica Led (Noctuidae); the purple-lined borer or lesser sugar cane borer, Chilo agamemnon Bles. (Crambidae), which are the principal borers of sugar cane and rice in Egypt; and the European com borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn. (Pyraustidae). These borers are also considered the principal cause for the secondary infection of fungal and bacterial diseases. Sesamia cretica is considered the most serious of the borers. This species attacks maize plants shortly after emergence, devours the whorl leaves and may kill the growing point, causing dead hearts. It is also capable of damaging older plants and excavating tunnels into the stem, ears and/or cobs. This pest lays its eggs during March, so it causes complete death of small maize plants in April and May, lending to drastic yield losses. Chemical insecticides are commonly used to control S. cretica, but given the negative environmental side effects, associated with chemical control, development of maize cultivars with resistance to S. cretica offers a better alternative. The Egyptian national maize breeding program is concentrating its efforts to develop and release new white and yellow maize hybrids with high yielding ability, plus resistance to the major diseases such as late wilt, common smut, downy mildew and leaf blight, as well as resistance to insect pests.

English

9711|AGRIS 9702

Jose Juan Caballero

CIMMYT Publications Collection