Infestation of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, in Midwestern USA fields with herbaceous borders

Three years (2000–2002) of field studies were conducted in mid-Missouri, USA, to assess the impact of various compositions of herbaceous field borders on populations of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. Border treatments of: (1) a mixture of warm-season grasses and legumes, (2) a mixture of cool-season grasses and legumes, (3) tall fescue alone, and (4) a corn border control were planted around plots of field corn. Percent stalks infested with European corn borer and number and length of larval tunnels in stalks were analyzed. Warm-season vegetation-bordered corn had consistently lower percent stalks infested than corn bordered by cool-season vegetation, tall fescue or a corn control. The results indicate that the adoption of field border programs such as CP33 will have little or no impact on European corn borer management.