Survey of alternative host plants of the Asian Corn Borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee), in continuous corn cropping system in five municipalities of Isabela

Issue Date

10-2008

Abstract

Cagayan Valley is the largest corn producing region in the country which contributes about 20 percent of the national production. The Asian corn borer (ACB) is the most destructive pest and one of the main constraints in corm production in the country. During the last five years, Bt corn has been extensively promoted to control the heavy infestation of this pest. This new product and technology has been adopted by a significant number of framers and today, this region has the highest adoption rate in Bt-corn planting. However, due to the continues cropping system in this region where corn is planted for at least three cropping's per year in an overlapping manner, the threat of developing resistant ACB population is very high. Once contiguous 200 hectares or more Bt corn planting is attained, provision of refuge is already required and this is done by planting susceptible corn strips within and around the area. Refuge can also be natural and this can be the presence of abundantly and naturally growing weeds and cultivated crops surrounding the corn field. Many of these plants are alternate hosts of the ACB and they will serve as natural refuge, a component of the insect resistance management program for Bt-corn in a tropical setting. The studies aimed to survey and determine the abundance of possible crop and non-crop alternate hosts of ACB in a continuous corn cropping system in selected areas in Isabela and to establish the occurrence or seasonal abundance of ACB on identified alternate host plant during and after corn cropping seasons. Five municipalities were identified and selected as the sampling sites. Monthly collection of weeds and identification of alternate hosts was done outside the corn areas using 1m x 1m sampling quadrant. Additional sampling for ACB was done using the patch method to supplement insect samples for identification. Initial results showed that ACB egg masses and larvae were not found outside the corn areas but only inside the corn production plots. Four weed species were identified as possible alternate hosts of ACB, namely: Eleusine indica, Rottboellia cochinchinensis, Amaranthus spinosus, and Solanum melongena. Collected larvae and/or pupae were reared in the laboratory for further identification. Egg assess and larvae were also noted on Sorghum bicolor planted in nearby fields.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

22

Issue

2

Page

216

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

OSTRINIA FURNACALIS; MAIZE; HOST PLANTS; BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS; CROPPING SYSTEMS; PHILIPPINES

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