Investigations on the interaction between spatially separated herbivores on field corn
PI(s): Youngman, Roger R, Tiwari, Siddharth
Investigators: Lewis, Ed E
Abstract: Greenhouse studies were conducted in 2004, 2005, and 2006 to examine the reciprocal effects of aboveground herbivory by European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and belowground herbivory by root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae), on one another at three growth stages of corn, Zea mays L. Although numerous studies have been published on the interactions between different herbivorous insects on a common host plant, few of this nature have been published on insect-nematode interactions on a common host plant.
Description: Two separate experiments were conducted to study the effect of aboveground herbivory on the number of M. incognita juvenile penetrations and eggs/root system. Conversely, the effect of belowground herbivory on O. nubilalis stalk tunneling also was determined in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, the infestation level by plant growth stage main effects interaction was not significant for either M. incognita juvenile penetrations/root system (P = 0.4055) or M. incognita eggs/root system (P = 0.8115). Overall, mean M. incognita juvenile penetrations/root system across all three growth stages at infestation levels of 1 and 3 larvae/plant were significantly less than in the non-infested control. In addition, overall mean M. incognita eggs/root system at an infestation level of 3 larvae/plant were significantly less than in the control. In the second experiment, the main effects interaction was significant for both M. incognita juvenile penetrations/root system (P = 0.0422) and M. incognita eggs/root system (P = 0.0134). At the 8 and 10 leaf growth stages, M. incognita juvenile penetrations/root system at infestation levels of 1 and 3 larvae/plant were significantly less than in the control. In addition, M. incognita eggs/root system at an infestation level of 3 larvae/plant were significantly less than in the control, at all growth stages. In the reciprocal study, which examined the effect of different M. incognita inoculation levels on O. nubilalis stalk tunneling, no significant effect of inoculation level on O. nubilalis stalk tunneling was found.
Commodities: Corn
Resources: Department Shop, Greenhouses, Price Hall, State-Owned Vehicles
Disciplines: Ecology, Integrated Pest Management
Audiences: Agribusiness, Commodity Groups, Extension Agents, Graduate Students, Researchers
