- Widespread distribution. Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania. On maize, including sweet corn, ginger, sorghum; also, capsicum, cotton and sugarcane.
- Eggs laid at base and underside of leaves. Caterpillars are pinkish-brown, feeding first on leaves, later, on male and female flowers. Late stages bore into the stem, and may cause a wilt. Adult is a strong flyer.
- Cultural control: remove tassels (male flowers) from 75% of the plants; resistant varieties.
- Natural enemies: parasitoid wasps. IPM program in Papua New Guinea: release of Trichogramma plasseyensis, neem sprays, and tassel removal.
- Chemical control: avoid synthetic insecticides (e.g., pyrethroids) as they will destroy natural enemies.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Maize Asian corn borer (115)
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Summary
Common Name
Asian corn borer
Scientific Name
Ostrinia furnacalis
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2012) Ostrinia furnacalis Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/38026/); and Ostrinia furnacalis. Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrinia_furnacalis); and from Insect Images (2018) Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis Guenee. (https://www.insectimages.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=14436&order=131). Photo 2 Alma Solis, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, ARS USDA, Bugwood.org.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
