Biological Solutions for Higher Maize Yield and Reduced Stalk Damage Caused by the European Corn Borer, <i>Ostrinia nubilalis</i> (Hübner)
2025
Filip Franeta | Anja Đurić | Dušan Dunđerski | Dušan Stanisavljević | Aleksandra Konjević | Aleksandar Ivezić | Tamara Popović | Željko Milovac
Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) is one of the most important agricultural crops in the world; however, its production is often threatened by several harmful insects, one of which is the European corn borer, <i>Ostrinia nubilalis</i> (Hübner). This study aimed to examine the efficacy of several biological control methods against this pest. A randomized block design was used in the study, which included three treatments: parasitic wasps (<i>Trichogramma brassicae</i>), common green lacewings (<i>Chrysoperla carnea</i>), a combination of both agents and a control. The results showed that the treatment with <i>T. brassicae</i> wasps, as well as their combination with <i>C. carnea</i> predators, significantly improved the maize grain yield over the control treatment. The same combined treatment significantly improved the yield over treatments with only <i>Trichogramma</i> and only <i>C. carnea</i> predators, suggesting a higher efficacy of the combination of both agents in improving grain yield. Fewer tunnels and larvae in stalks, compared to other treatments, including the control, were also observed in this treatment. The reduced number of tunnels and larvae in stalks directly enabled plants to allocate more resources into grain development, which contributed to improved grain yield. In light of the growing focus on minimizing insecticide applications to mitigate environmental impacts, a combination of parasitic wasp and lacewings predator could be a suitable biological alternative to the use of chemical insecticides.
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