Effects of Substrate Characteristics on the Ovipositional Behavior of the Southwestern Corn Borer2

Abstract

The effects of substrate characteristics on the ovipositional behavior of the southwestern corn borer (SWCB), Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, were determined. No ovipositional preference was observed for selected corn cultivars. Females laid significantly more eggs on upper than lower leaf surfaces, and more eggs on lower leaf than stem surfaces. Female ovipositional preference for the upper leaf over the lower leaf was attributed to surface orientation. In laboratory studies, females preferred leaf tissue to stem tissue independent of orientation. In laboratory and field studies, females preferred smooth surfaces over rough or pubescent surfaces for oviposition. Females exhibited no ovipositional preference for colors within the visible light spectrum. Plant tissue type, color, texture, and orientation did not significantly affect the number of eggs per mass.