Technology of the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn) Mass Rearing, Successive Generations, in Controlled Conditions, at NARDI FUNDULEA

Abstract

Obtain insects egg batches in laboratory conditions, used for artificial infestation of the maize plants, to establish maize lines and hybrids tolerance to pest attack. Because in nature, the attack of Ostrinia nubilalis are not at same level, every year, as result of the climatic conditions, especially at egg batch deposition and larva emergence, artificial infestation of the maize plants is one of the best method to evaluate maize lines and hybrids reaction at this pest. European corn borer is reared at Plant Protection Laboratory, from NARDI Fundulea, Calarasi County, Romania. Field experiments were made at experimental fields of both, Plant Protection and Maize Breeding laboratories. In 2011 it has obtained 136043 egg batches, in 2012 it has obtained 121945 egg batches and in 2013 it has obtained 133550 egg batches. At the end of the year 2013, the insect colony created in 1979 arrived at 442nd consecutive generation, the insect colony created in 2008 arrived at 77th consecutive generation, the insect colony created in 2010 arrived at 51st consecutive generation and insect colony created in 2011 arrived at 38th consecutive generation. Even if insects are reared more then 440 generations in laboratory conditions, they don’t lose capacity of attacking maize plants. Rearing of the European corn borer ( Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn) in laboratory conditions, in continuous flux, on same artificial diet, is one of the best methods for mass production of the egg-batches necessary for the field researches concerning maize hybrids and lines tolerance at the attack produced by this pest.