Quality evaluation of the mass reared Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis Guenee

W.D. Guthrie et al. reported that the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis Huebner, mass reared continuously on a meridic diet for over 14 generations, will eventually lose its virulence to susceptible inbred lines of maize. However, the present paper indicates that this is not the case with the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis Guenee, when mass reared on a semi-artificial diet developed by the first author. Larvae reared continuously for as many as 26 generations still maintain their ability to cause serious whorl and stalk damage to susceptible maize materials. It cannot be concluded, however, that the diet and rearing technique for ACB are superior to those for ECB unless the two diets are used to rear the two Ostrinia species at the same time and under the same rearing conditions. (author). 5 refs, 3 tabs