Introduction to Insect-pests of Maize
Important points:
- Maize is one of the staple food of Asian countries.
- Other leading cereal crops are rice, wheat, sorghum, barley etc.
- The crop is attacked by the numerous insect-pests.
- The damage caused by the various species of insect-pests is significant.
- Management of the insect-pests is very necessary.
Click here to see the introductory description of the insect-pests of rice.
Insect-pests of Maize Crop
List of insect-pests of maize
- Maize borer.
- European corn borer.
- Asian maize borer.
- Maize shoot fly.
- Hairy caterpillar.
Also read: Entomology multiple choice questions
1. Maize Borer
Scientific name: Chilopartellus.
Family: Pyralidae.
Identification:
Larva: Caterpillar has four longitudinal stripes on the back and the body is greyish white.
Adult: Moths are yellowish-grey.
Life cycle:
- 5 generations in a year.
- Active breeding is seen during March – April to May.
Damage:
Young plant are destroyed by the pest. Larvae are active during night.
Look for dead heart symptoms.
Management:
Destroy crop residues.
Release Trichogramma chilonis.
Use 100 ml cypermethrin 10 EC for per ha.
Also read: Minor pests of rice
2. European Corn Borer
Doesn’t occur in India.
Scientific name: Ostrinianubilalis.
Family: Pyralidae.
Identification:
Larva: pale yellow body with black head.
Adult: Female moth has yellow to light brown wings.
Life cycle: 1 – 5 generation.
Damage:
- Weaken plants.
- Stunted cobs.
- Tunnelling occurs.
Management:
Sow resistant varieties.
Deep ploughing and exposure to sunlight.
3. Asian Maize Borer
Scientific name: Ostrinia furnacalis.
Family: Pyralidae.
Life cycle: 1 – 5 generations.
Identification:
Larva: The upper side body is pinkish with a dark head.
Adult: The female moth is yellow to light brown in colour.
Damage:
Midrib tunnelling.
Reduce in plant growth.
Plants may collapse.
Management:
Follow the management practices of maize borer.
4. Maize Shoot Fly
Scientific name: Atherigonasoccata Rondani.
Family: Muscidae.
Identification:
Maggots: They are very tiny.
Fly: Fly has transparent wings.
Life cycle: Several generations occurs.
Damage:
High-yield hybrid varieties are more susceptible.
Maggot bores into the stem by feeding inside the main shoot.
Management:
Grow resistant varieties.
Seed coating with isofenphos 5G @ 30 g per 100g seed.
Use carbofuron 3G @ 12 kg per ha.
5. Hairy Caterpillars
Scientific name:
Amsacta moorei.
Spilosoma obliqua.
Family: Arctiidae.
5.1 RedHairy Caterpillar (Amsactamoorei)
Identification:
Larva: The body colour varies from reddish-amber to olive green with numerous long hair.
Adult: Moths are stoutly built and have white wings with black spots.
Life cycle: More than one generation in a year.
Damage: Larvae feed on growing points of the plants.
Management:
Use light traps.
Do summer ploughing.
Apply 25 EC quinalphos in 500 l water.
5.2 Bihar Hairy Caterpillar (Spilosomaobliqua)
Identification:
Larva: Long greyish hair.
Adult: Moth is full yellow.
Life cycle: 3 – 4 generations in a year.
Damage:
Larvae eat the soft portion of plants.
Severe attack: Completely denuded of leaves.
Management:
Use 25 kg malathion dust per ha.
Another control measures are same as red hairy caterpillar.