| Abstract: | The pink stem borer (Sesamia nonagrioides Lef.) is the main corn (Zea mays L.) pest in the Mediterranean area. Although, screening for resistance to this pest has been successful, the level of resistance
shown by the most resistant varieties is not high. The objectives of the present work were: (i) the evaluation for pink stem
borer resistance of the nontested inbred lines, field and popcorn materials, from the collection maintained at the Misión
Biológica de Galicia and (ii) the study of the performance, under pink stem borer infestation, of inbreds selected for resistance
to pink stem borer in hybrid combination. Forty four inbred lines nontested yet for resistant to pink stem borer along with
five inbred lines previously reported as resistant to stem and ear attack, were evaluated in 2002 and 2003. In adjacent experiments,
hybrids EP79× W552, EP77× B93, and A661× EP42 were tested along with a resistant hybrid, MEB531-Bt, and a susceptible hybrid, INRA 260. New sources of resistance to pink stem borer have been detected among inbred lines improving
the level of resistance presented by previously tested inbreds. Some of these lines were successfully developed by pedigree
selection for resistance to pink stem borer. |
