Cutworm

Abstract: NAULT, L. R., W. E. STYER, M. E. COFFEY, D. T. GORDON, L. S. NEGI, and C. L. NIBLETT. 1978. Transmission of maize chlorotic mottle virus by chrysomelid beetles. Phytopathology 68: 1071-1074. Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) is transmitted by after acquisition. Crushed adult D. virgifera collected from six species of beetles belonging to the family Chrysomelidae: infected fields in Kansas reacted positively with MCMV the cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopa), the corn flea beetle antiserum. Two other insects with mandibulate mouth parts, (Chaetocnema pulicaria), the flea beetle (Systenafrontalis), the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) and larvae of the the southern corn rootworm (Diabrotica undecimpunctata), black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), failed to transmit MCMV the northern corn rootworm (D. longicornis), and the as did three aphid species, and a leafhopper, a planthopper, western corn rootworm (D. virgifera). Both larvae and adults and a whitefly species. of 0. melanopa are vectors; adults transmit virus for 6 days

Abstract: The comparative efficacy of azadirachtin, the major active ingredient in the botanical insecticide neem, as a larval growth inhibitor and feeding deterrent was determined for six species of noctuids of economic importance: the black army cutworm, Actebia fennica (Tausch.), the bertha armyworm, Mamestra configurata Walker, the variegated cutworm, Peridroma saucia Hubner, the zebra caterpillar, Melanchra picta (Harr.), the Asian armyworm, Spodoptera litura (Fab.), and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni Hubner. When added to an artificial diet, azadirachtin inhibited neonate larval growth of all species in a dosedependent fashion. EC50 values (dietary concentration reducing larval growth by 50% relative to controls) following ten days of feeding ranged from 0.12 to 0.24 mg kg−1 but without significant differences between species. However, when second-instar larvae were offered a choice, only larvae of P. saucia and S. litura discriminated between a control diet and diet containing azadirachtin at concentrations up to 0.4 mg kg−1. A more sensitive behavioural bioassay using fourth-instar larvae indicated that S. litura was the most sensitive to the antifeedant effects of azadirachtin (EC50 = 1.25 ng cm−2), whereas A. fennica was the least (EC50 = 40.7 ng cm−2). Topical treatment of fourth-instar larvae with 50 or 100 ng of azadirachtin resulted in significant inhibition of subsequent growth, diet consumption, and dietary utilization. However, A. fennica and S. litura are less inhibited that the other four species. The present study indicates that behaviourbased bioassays alone do not characterize the total effect of azadirachtin on noctuid larvae.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition and method of using plant non-specific lipid acyl hydrolases to protect plants otherwise susceptible to insect infestation by one or more of corn rootworms, potato beetles, armyworms, borers, cutworms, wireworms, earworms and aphids.