Impact of Natural Mortality Factors on Populations of the European Corn Borer in Bt- and Non-Bt-Corn Fields in Illinois

In 1997 and 1998, field studies were conducted to evaluate the incidence of natural enemies of European corn borer in Bt cornfields. The findings were compared with assessments of the effects of natural enemies in non-Bt cornfields. In my study, corn type did not seem to affect the percentage of eggs parasitized by Trichogramma, the percentage of larvae parasitized by M grandii, or the percentages of European corn borers infected by the entomopathogens N. pyrausta and B. bassiana. However, densities of natural enemies were significantly reduced in Bt corn compared with non-Bt corn. If large acreages are devoted to the production of Bt corn, the overall impact on specific natural enemies of European corn borer could be significant.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agronomy

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Venditti, Maria Eugenia Del Valle

Contributors dc:contributor

• Steffey, Kevin L.

• Biology, Entomology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9953168

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/87686