Multi-State Survey of Picture-Winged Flies (Diptera:Ulidiidae) Attacking Sweet Corn In the Southern U.S

Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Kona Ballroom
Gregg Nuessly , Everglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Belle Glade, FL
G. Goyal , Everglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida, IFAS, Belle Glade, FL
B. T. Scully , Crop Protection and Management Research Unit, USDA ARS, Tifton, GA
X. Ni , Crop Genetics and Breeding research Unit, USDA-ARS, Tifton, GA
A.N. Sparks , Entomology, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA
G.D. Buntin , Entomology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA
F. Huang , Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
B.A. Leonard , Macon Ridge Research Station, Louisiana State University, Winnsboro, LA
P.J. McLeod , Entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
A.M. Simmons , U.S. Vegetable Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Charleston, SC
C.A. Daves , Monsanto, Clinton, MS
R.S. Pfannenstiel , Beneficial Insects Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Weslaco, TX
W.B. Henry , Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Mississippi State, MS
Four picture-winged fly (Diptera: Ulidiidae) species in two genera were identified as direct pests of sweet and field corn ears in Florida from surveys conducted during 2007 and 2008.  Larvae emerge from eggs deposited mostly in the silk canal to damage silk, kernels and cob rendering infested sweet corn ears unmarketable.  Euxesta annonae (F.) and E. stigmatias Loew were found in corn only in southern Florida.  Chaetopsis massyla (Walker) and E. eluta Loew were found in corn throughout the state, including most counties along the northern border with Georgia and Alabama.  Studies were conducted in 2008 through 2010 to examine whether corn-infesting ulidiid species were attacking corn north and west of Florida in the southern USA.  Ears were inspected for ulidiid larvae and pupae at 14 to 20 d after first silk in sweet corn plots (cv. ‘GSS 0966’ and ‘Garrison’, Rogers Brand, Syngenta Seed) planted late spring through summer within corn producing regions of Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and southern Texas.  Additional commercial sweet and field corn fields were sampled in each of these states and in Alabama for evidence of ulidiid larval damage.  Infested ears were shipped to Florida where they were held at 26.0 ± 1°C and L14:D10 h photoperiod for emergence of adults used for species identification.  Chaetopsis massyla and E. eluta were reared from infested corn collected in Georgia and Alabama.  Chaetopsis massyla adults emerged from ears collected in Louisiana, and South Carolina.
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