Initial Screening of Sweet Corn Tissues for Allelochemicals that Affect European Corn Borer Larval Development

Abstract

European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, can severely affect sweet corn quality. Selection techniques in field experiments have improved ear feeding resistance associated with morphological features and/or allelochemicals. A laboratory bioassay was used to detect chemical resistance factors in silk and kernel tissues of 10 variously resistant sweet corn genotypes. When added to a nutritively complete diet, kernel tissue from W182E, MN275, and MN272 decreased (P ≤ 0.05) 10-day larval weight (66.3, 61.7, and 54.5 mg, respectively) while kernel tissue from MG15, MN270, and MN3053 increased (P ≤ 0.05) 10-day larval weight (88.3, 81.5, and 80.8 mg, respectively) compared to a cellulose control (71.0 mg). These weight differences, however, were not significant developmentally as 10-day larval maturation (fourth to fifth instar) and pupation time (13.9 to 16.3 days) were similar to the cellulose control (fifth instar and 14.8 days). Silk tissue additions to the diet decreased (P ≤ 0.05) 10-day larval weight compared to the cellulose control (71.0 mg). Larvae exposed to diet containing silk tissue from MN3053, W182E, and `Apache' were lightest (9.1, 8.3, and 7.8 mg, respectively). The heaviest larvae exposed to silk tissue were from diet including `Jubilee' tissue (54.1 mg). Contrary to the instar levels found on the cellulose control, larvae feeding for 10 days on a diet containing silk tissue mainly were at third or early fourth instar excluding larvae exposed to `Jubilee' silk (fourth to fifth instar). For all genotypes, silk additions to diet increased the pupation time compared to kernel additions. Kernel, and especially silk tissue, may contain chemical resistance factors which decrease larval weight and increase developmental time. Identifying sweet corn genotypes with chemical resistance factors may enhance ECB resistance breeding efficiency.