Journal of Economic Entomology (1999) 92, 870-874

D.W. Spurgeon, J.R. Raulston, P.D. Lingren and T.N. Shaver (1999)
Vertical distribution of Mexican rice borer (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) larvae and tunnels in Lower Rio Grande Valley sugarcane
Journal of Economic Entomology 92 (4), 870-874
Abstract: Vertical distribution patterns of Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), larvae and tunnels in Lower Rio Grande Valley sugarcane, Saccharum spp., were examined by stalk dissections in commercial sugarcane from late May until early September (1992) or mid-October (1993). Larval age distributions were fairly stable throughout the sampling periods, with small larvae consistently comprising a substantial portion of the larval population infesting millable stalks. Meaningful differences in the vertical distributions of small, medium, and large larvae were not detected. Contrary to earlier reports, most larvae and tunnels were located in the lower, more productive internodes regardless of the degree of stalk development. These results do not support the concept of age-specific internode susceptibility to Mexican rice borer attack, and stress the need to consider season-long population suppression in the development of strategies to manage the Mexican rice borer in sugarcane.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Dale W. Spurgeon

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Eoreuma loftini	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)