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Preventive Control

Natural enemies

Parasitoids

  1. Braconid
  2. Tachinid fly
  3. Trichogramma

Predators

  1. Damselfly
  2. Hoverfly
  3. Lacewing
  4. Ladybird beetle
  5. Minute pirate bug
  6. Praying mantis
  7. Spider

Monitoring

Start corn earworm monitoring 1-2 weeks prior to the silking stage. To monitor, look for eggs and small larvae in the silk and husk. Moth population can be monitored with light traps and pheromone traps. Generally, the presence of 5-10 moths caught every night by light traps in the field is sufficient to stimulate pest control practices (Hoffman; Wilson; Zalom, 1991).

Management and cultural practices

  1. Practice crop rotation. Avoid planting crops successively that are hosts to corn earworm like corn, cotton, sorghum, tobacco, soybean, and tomato.
  2. Choose corn varieties with tight husks to prevent larva from entering. These varieties show some characteristics and tolerance to the feeding habits of the corn earworm. Ask assistance from the local agriculturist office for these varieties are available in the markets.
  3. Two weeks before planting, remove weeds and grasses to destroy earworm larvae and adults harboring in those weeds and grasses.
  4. Plow and harrow fields at least 2 times before sowing seeds. This will expose pupae of corn earworm to chicken, birds, ants and other predators. Corn earworm pupates in the soil. After harvest, remove corn stubbles by feeding to carabaos and cows.
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