Differential preference of maize genotypes to Sesamia inferens Walker

Maize (Zea mays L.,) is an important coarse grain millet crop of India. Pink borer, Sesamia inferens Walker is one of the major serious insect pests of maize. Studies were undertaken on ¿Differential preference of maize genotypes to Sesamia inferens Walker and estimation of avoidable yield losses with endosulfan¿ under field conditions. The varietal screening studies of ten maize genotypes were carried out under field conditions with artificial infestation of S. inferens and the classification of the maize genotypes was done based on the dead hearts and leaf injury rating. The ovipositional preference studies of maize genotypes by S. inferens indicated that the distribution pattern of eggs on different leaf sheaths indicated that the moth preferred to lay more than 55% of eggs on first leaf sheath. The effect of crop growth stages and larval densities of S. inferens on grain yield of maize crop under unprotected conditions indicated that the crop protected with endosulfan at 2 leaf stage recorded maximum avoidable yield loss with different larval densities (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 larvae per plant) and hence spraying of endosulfan at early stages of crop growth was highly effective.