The most harmful pest in maize crops from the Western part of Romania is Diabrotica virgifera virgifera or the Western maize root worm. In the Western part of our country, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conté adults attack leaves – phylotrophy, silk – stigmatrophy, pollen – androtrophy, fulcrant roots – rhyzotrophy and cob – spermatrophy. In order to establish this pest’s attack, we have founded an experience, in Sagu (Arad region), on 8 American-origin maize hybrids (Pioneer Al Dupont Company), belonging to different maturity groups. They have represented the trophic background for the pathogens within the pathosystems and for the new pest larvae as well. In the case of silk-based nutrition, the frequency of cobs affected by the Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conté adults is recorded with the biggest values, namely: 35.91% (early hybrid PR 38A24) and 55.74% (mid-early hybrid PR 37M34, in 2006 and 53.4%-96.2%, percentages achieved by the early hybrid PR 37D25 and extra-early PR 39D81). From a statistical point of view, distinctly and very distinctly significant attack pluses were recorded toward the control variant, and also toward the experimental mean, in both years of research. The high percentage achieved place all Pioneer maize hybrids into the sensitiveness reaction field

Zea mays; Diabrotica; agresivitate; stigmatrofică; mătase; grupă de maturitate

Presentation: oral