Insect-resistance test of Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on several maize hybrid lines

Abstract

Abstract To reduce the loss because of pest attacks, it is important to select a maize hybrid line resistant to Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (maize weevil). This strategy can reduce seed damage during preservation and is safe for the environment. Therefore, the research was conducted to screen the germplasm resistance of maize against the attack of the powdery mildew S. zeamais. Maize strain resistance testing against S. zeamais was carried out in 2018 by testing 30 genetic materials of corn germplasm then the entry was stored in a freezer for 2 weeks which aims to kill warehouse insect pests from the field. Of the thirty accessions/lines of maize germplasm that were tested for resistance to the S. zeamais attack, there were twelve accessions/entries which showed high resistance, namely accession numbers/lines 48, 105, 228, 235, 237, 239, 273, 285, 290, 301, 342, 375. This resilience can be seen in the vulnerability index and the number of F1 progenies S. zeamais produced. The susceptibility index ranged from 0.9 to 3.6 and the number of F1 S. zeamais progeny ranged from 1.5 to 3.5 individuals. The methods and results of this study are useful before the release of the variety to the public.