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Relationship of Some Nutritional Properties of the Corn Kernel to Weevil Infestation
Author(s) -
Singh D. N.,
McCain F. S.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1963.0011183x000300030027x
Subject(s) - weevil , infestation , library science , biology , mathematics , horticulture , humanities , art , computer science
D AMAGE to corn by the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L), is important in the southeastern United States. In 1957 Grimes (9) estimated that Alabama farmers lost $4,200,000 as a result of rice weevil damage to corn. A repoec from Louisiana indicated that rice weevil damage to corn at harvest exceeded 8% (8). Severe infestations of corn by rice weevil may occur prior to harvest and in storage. Weevil damage to corn in storage may be controlled with insecticides. However, control of weevils in the field with insecticides is impractical. The best means of controlling damage is by using resistant varieties. The components of resistance most often used by plant breeders to develop weevil-resistant varieties are hard kernels and tight husks that extend beyond the ear tips. The validity of these indicators is supported by many reports (3, 4, 5, 6). Floyd et al. (8) positively correlated weevil infestation in the field with bird and corn earworm damage. When the husk is removed from resistant varieties they may become susceptible. This would indicate that kernel char. acteristics have a bearing on resistance or susceptibility. It is suspected that physical characteristics of the kernel may relate to this problem. As pointed out previously, kernel hardness is an indicator of weevil resistance. However, this does not explain the problem, since some varieties with very hard kernels may be attacked by weevils. The hypothesis can be made that the chemical constituents of the kernel may be components of resistance. The primary objective of the study was to determine correlations between weevil resistance and the major nutritional constituents of the kernel.