Entomology Commons^™

Soil Pests Of Corn, Francis Reay-Jones, Tim Bryant, Igor Schardong

Agronomic Crops

Corn rootworms, seed corn maggot, wireworms, and white grubs are sporadic insect pests of corn in the southeastern U.S. The immature stages of these species are subterranean, allowing them to feed on the roots of corn. The purpose of this publication is to provide growers, Extension agents, consultants, and other agricultural professionals an overview of the most common soil insect pests and how to control them.

Insect Frass Fertilizer Upregulates Maize Defence Genes And Resistance Against An Invasive Herbivore Pest, Daniel Munyao Mutyambai, Johnstone Mutiso Mutua, Abdul A. Jalloh, Dennis Beesigamukama, Andre Kessler, Sevgan Subramanian, Thomas Dubois, Sunday Ekesi, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) has gained global attention as a multipurpose input for soil fertilization and pest and disease management. However, there are limited studies that have examined its effects on insect pest resistance and the underlying mechanisms. We investigated the impact of amending soil with BSFFF on maize growth, defense gene expression and resistance to a polyphagous insect herbivore, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) through larval feeding assay. Maize growth was evaluated by measuring plant height, chlorophyll concentration, and biomass accumulation in soils amended with BSFFF, synthetic fertilizers (Di-ammonium phosphate and Calcium ammonium nitrate) and unfertilized soils …

Maize Terpene Synthase 1 Impacts Insect Behavior Via The Production Of Monoterpene Volatiles Β-Myrcene And Linalool, Jessica P. Yactayo-Chang, Geoffrey T. Broadhead, Robert J. Housler, Marcio F.R. Resende Jr., Kashish Verma, Joe Louis, Gilles J. Basset, John J. Beck, Anna K. Block

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plant-derived volatiles are important mediators of plant-insect interactions as they can provide cues for host location and quality, or act as direct or indirect defense molecules. The volatiles produced by Zea mays (maize) include a range of terpenes, likely produced by several of the terpene synthases (TPS) present in maize. Determining the roles of specific terpene volatiles and individual TPSs in maize-insect interactions is challenging due to the promiscuous nature of TPSs in vitro and their potential for functional redundancy. In this study, we used metabolite GWAS of a sweetcorn diversity panel infested with Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) to identify …

Influence Of Si In Maize Plants In Kenyan Populations Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Ovide Nuambote-Yobila, Boaz Musyoka, Elijah Njuguna, Anani Yaovi Bruce, Fathia Khamis, Sevgan Subramanian, Frédéric Marion-Poll, Paul André Calatayud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), native to the Americas, was confirmed in West and Central Africa in 2016 and reported in almost all countries of sub-Saharan Africa in 2017, becoming thereafter one of the major constraints on the production of maize, the main staple food crop in the region. Cereals depend on silicon (Si)-based defences to fight off herbivores. Both FAW strains, namely rice and corn strains, have been found to be present in Kenya. The present study tested the influence of Si on larval survival and relative growth rate according to the FAW strain, using potted …

Co-Transcriptomic Analysis Of The Maize–Western Corn Rootworm Interaction, Lise Pingault, Saumik Basu, Neetha N. Vellichirammal, William Paul Williams, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The Western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) is an economically important belowground pest of maize. Belowground feeding by WCR is damaging because it weakens the roots system, diminishes nutrient uptake, and creates entry points for fungal and bacterial pathogens and increases lodging, all of which can significantly suppress maize yields. Previously, it was demonstrated that belowground herbivory can trigger plant defense responses in the roots and the shoots, thereby impacting intraplant communication. Although several aspects of maize-WCR interactions have been reported, co-transcriptomic remodeling in the plant and insect are yet to be explored. We used a maize genotype, …

Bioactive Volatiles From Push-Pull Companion Crops Repel Fall Armyworm And Attract Its Parasitoids, Islam S. Sobhy, Amanuel Tamiru, Xavier Chiriboga Morales, Dickens Nyagol, Duncan Cheruiyot, Frank Chidawanyika, Sevgan Subramanian, Charles A.O. Midega, Toby J.A. Bruce, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious invasive pest in Africa but “Push-Pull” companion cropping can substantially reduce infestation. Here, we elucidate the underpinning chemical ecology mechanisms. We hypothesized that companion crop volatiles repel herbivores (push) while attracting natural enemies (pull). Headspace volatiles collected from companion plants (Desmodium intortum, Desmodium uncinatum, Brachiaria Mulato II) were used in bioassays and electrophysiological recordings with S. frugiperda and parasitoid wasps. Insect populations, plant damage and herbivore parasitism were assessed in field plots. Coupled GC-electroantennogram (GC-EAG) recordings showed robust responses to certain aromatic and terpenoid volatile compounds. In wind tunnel bioassays, maize volatiles mixed …

Insecticide Resistance In Australian Spodoptera Frugiperda (J.E. Smith) And Development Of Testing Procedures For Resistance Surveillance, Lisa Bird, Melina M. Miles, Adam Quade, Helen Spafford

Biosecurity Research Articles

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a highly invasive noctuid pest first reported in northern Australia during early 2020. To document current status of resistance in S. frugiperda in Australia, insecticide toxicity was tested in field populations collected during the first year of establishment, between March 2020 and March 2021. Dose-response was measured by larval bioassay in 11 populations of S. frugiperda and a susceptible laboratory strain of Helicoverpa armigera. Emamectin benzoate was the most efficacious insecticide (LC50 0.023μg/ml) followed by chlorantraniliprole (LC50 0.055μg/ml), spinetoram (LC50 0.098μg/ml), spinosad (LC50 0.526μg/ml), and methoxyfenozide (1.413μg/ml). Indoxacarb was the least toxic …

Impact Of Maize Hormonal Interactions On The Performance Of Spodoptera Frugiperda In Plants Infected With Clavibacter Michiganensis Subsp. Nebraskensis, Karen Da Silva, Sydney E. Everhart, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

In nature, plants interact with multiple organisms, below and aboveground. Although interactions of plants with single biotic stressors are well characterized, knowledge of how the immune system responds to multiple biotic stressors is lacking. It is known that the two most important pathways involved in the plant immune defenses are jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA). The crosstalk between these plant hormonal signaling pathways seems to fine-tune the plant responses to different stressors. In this study, we characterized maize (Zea mays) hormonal interactions under the attack of two economically important pests: the bacterial pathogen that causes Goss’s …

High Plains Wheat Mosaic Virus: An Enigmatic Disease Of Wheat And Corn Causing The High Plains Disease, Satyanarayana Tatineni, Gary Hein

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Brief history: In 1993, severe mosaic and necrosis symptoms were observed on corn (maize) and wheat from several Great Plains states of the USA. Based on the geographical location of infections, the disease was named High Plains disease and the causal agent was tentatively named High Plains virus. Subsequently, researchers renamed this virus as maize red stripe virus and wheat mosaic virus to represent the host and symptom phenotype of the virus. After sequencing the genome of the pathogen, the causal agent of High Plains disease was officially named as High Plains wheat mosaic virus. Hence, High Plains virus, …

Transcriptomic And Volatile Signatures Associated With Maize Defense Against Corn Leaf Aphid, Lise Pingault, Suresh Varsani, Nathan Palmer, Swayamjit Ray, W. Paul Williams, Dawn S. Luthe, Jared G. Ali, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major cereal crop, with the United States accounting for over 40% of the worldwide production. Corn leaf aphid [CLA; Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)] is an economically important pest of maize and several other monocot crops. In addition to feeding damage, CLA acts as a vector for viruses that cause devastating diseases in maize. We have shown previously that the maize inbred line Mp708, which was developed by classical plant breeding, provides heightened resistance to CLA. However, the transcriptomic variation conferring CLA resistance to Mp708 has not been investigated.

Results: In this study, we contrasted …

Aboveground Herbivory Influences Belowground Defense Responses In Maize, Lise Pingault, Saumik Basu, Prince Zogli, W. Paul Williams, Nathan Palmer, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The European corn borer (ECB; Ostrinia nubilalis) is an economically damaging insect pest of maize (Zea mays L.), an important cereal crop widely grown globally. Among inbred lines, the maize genotype Mp708 has shown resistance to diverse herbivorous insects, although several aspects of the defense mechanisms of Mp708 plants are yet to be explored. Here, the changes in root physiology arising from short-term feeding by ECB on the shoot tissues of Mp708 plants was evaluated directly using transcriptomics, and indirectly by monitoring changes in growth of western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) larvae. Mp708 defense responses …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Equivalence Of Black Soldier Fly Frass Fertilizer And Synchrony Of Nitrogen Mineralization For Maize Production, Dennis Beesigamukama, Benson Mochoge, Nicholas Korir, Martha W. Musyoka, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Dorothy Nakimbugwe, Fathiya M. Khamis, Sevgan Subramanian, Thomas Dubois, Sunday Ekesi, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The use of black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) is being promoted globally. However, information on nitrogen (N) fertilizer equivalence (NFE) value and synchrony of N mineralization for crop production remains largely unknown. Comparative studies between BSFFF and commercial organic fertilizer (SAFI) were undertaken under field conditions to determine synchrony of N release for maize uptake. The BSFFF, SAFI, and urea fertilizers were applied at the rates of 0, 30, 60, and 100 kg N ha−1. The yield data from urea treated plots were used to determine the NFE of both organic inputs. Results showed that maize from BSFFF treated …

Spread And Impact Of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda J.E. Smith) In Maize Production Areas Of Kenya, Hugo De Groote, Simon C. Kimenju, Bernard Munyua, Sebastian Palmas, Menale Kassie, Anani Bruce

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm (FAW), one of the most important pests of maize in Latin America, suddenly appeared in Africa in 2016 and spread rapidly. Estimates of crop losses due to FAW are essential in order to compare the impact of these losses with the cost of controlling FAW and advise appropriate technology dissemination and policy. In this study, therefore, crop losses due to FAW in 2017 and 2018 were estimated in all the maize production areas of Kenya. Data were collected during June and July 2018 through 121 group discussions with 1439 farmers, separately with men (697) and women (742), in …

Effect Of Crop Diversification And Mulching On Termite Damage To Maize In Western Ethiopia, Girma Demissie, Esayas Mendesil, Debela Diro, Tadele Tefera

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Termites are major biotic factors that contribute to crop damage and yield losses to maize (Zea mays L.) in western Ethiopia. This study evaluated mulching maize stover, intercropping maize with soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and desmodium (Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb.), and integration of mulching and intercropping for their effectiveness in reducing damage of Microtermes spp mainly Microtermes vadschaggae Sjostedt and Microtermes adschaggae (Sjosted) to maize. Five termite management treatments and a control (sole maize) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates on 2 farm sites in 2016 and 7 sites in 2017 cropping seasons in …

Evaluation Of Foliar Insecticides For The Control Of Western Bean Cutworm In Field Corn, 2018, Katharine A. Swoboda-Bhattarai, Samantha R. Daniel, Julie A. Peterson

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

The objectives of this field trial were to evaluate the efficacy of single applications of foliar insecticides at preventing feeding damage by the western bean cutworm (WBC), an important pest of corn and dry beans that has undergone a rapid range expansion into the eastern Corn Belt during the last 18 yr. This study was conducted within the historic range of WBC, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Henry J. Stumpf International Wheat Center in Perkins County, NE (40.856851°N, −101.701335°W). An RCB design with a total of 16 treatments (including an untreated check) and four replications was used. Plots measured 20 …

A Climate-Adapted Push-Pull System Effectively Controls Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera Frugiperda (J E Smith), In Maize In East Africa, Charles A.O. Midega, Jimmy O. Pittchar, John A. Pickett, Girma W. Hailu, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith), an economically important pest native to tropical and sub-tropical America has recently invaded Africa, causing substantial damage to maize and other crops. We evaluated functionality of a companion cropping system, ‘climate-adapted push-pull’, developed for control of cereal stemborers in drier agro-ecologies, as an added tool for the management of fall armyworm. The technology comprises intercropping maize with drought-tolerant greenleaf desmodium, Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb., and planting Brachiaria cv Mulato II as a border crop around this intercrop. Protection to maize is provided by semiochemicals that are emitted by the intercrop that repel (push) …

Evaluation Of Seed Treatments And At-Plant Soil Insecticides For The Control Of Wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) In Field Corn, 2015, Kayla A. Mollet, Jonas Victor De Macedo, Grace E. Hirzel, C. Oliveira-Hofman, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Wireworms are an important pest of corn, other field crop seedlings, and vegetables and can cause significant damage if not controlled. This field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of neonicotinoid seed treatments and in-furrow soil insecticides to protect seedling field corn under a heavy wireworm pressure scenario. The trial was conducted on a commercial production field in Perkins County near Madrid, NE (40.781993° N, −101.463666° W). The field was selected for its likelihood to have heavy wireworm pressure due to the following: 1) past farmer observations of crop damage when planted to field corn in 2012; 2) sandy …

Evaluation Of Foliar Insecticides For The Control Of Western Bean Cutworm In Field Corn, 2017, Katharine A. Swoboda-Bhattarai, Grace E. Hirzel, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The objective of this field trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a single application of foliar insecticides at preventing feeding damage by the western bean cutworm (WBC), an important pest of corn and dry beans. Direct feeding by WBC larvae on developing kernels in the ear can result in yield loss, whereas WBC infestation can also lead to secondary fungal infections. WBC has undergone a rapid range expansion into the eastern Corn Belt within the last 16 yr. This study was conducted within the historic range of WBC, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Henry J. Stumpf International Wheat Center …

Push-Pull Farming System Controls Fall Armyworm: Lessons From Africa, Zeyaur R. Khan, Jimmy O. Pittchar, Charles A.O. Midega, John A. Pickett

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda invaded Africa, with the first detections being reported in Central and Western Africa in early 2016, and now affects at least 40 countries in Africa, causing up to total crop loss amounting to over $6.2 billion p.a. FAW is an invasive polyphagous pest that causes damage to economically important crops and has recently been reported in the Indian sub-continent. Effective control of FAW through use of synthetic chemical pesticides and genetically modified crops such as Bt maize faces challenges including improper use, unaffordability by smallholder farmers and development of resistance by the pest. Additionally, dispersal …

The Cotesia Sesamiae Story: Insight Into Host-Range Evolution In A Hymenoptera Parasitoid And Implication For Its Use In Biological Control Programs, L. Kaiser, S. Dupas, A. Branca, E. A. Herniou, C. W. Clarke, C. Capdevielle Dulac, J. Obonyo, R. Benoist, J. Gauthier, P. A. Calatayud, J. F. Silvain, B. P. Le Ru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This review covers nearly 20 years of studies on the ecology, physiology and genetics of the Hymenoptera Cotesia sesamiae, an African parasitoid of Lepidoptera that reduces populations of common maize borers in East and South Africa. The first part of the review presents studies based on sampling of C. sesamiae from maize crops in Kenya. From this agrosystem including one host plant and three main host borer species, studies revealed two genetically differentiated populations of C. sesamiae species adapted to their local host community, and showed that their differentiation involved the joint evolution of virulence genes and sensory mechanisms of …

An Assessment Of The Magnitudes And Factors Associated With Postharvest Losses In Off-Farm Grain Stores In Kenya, Joseph K. Mwangi, Christopher M. Mutungi, Soul Kifouly G. Midingoyi, Abdul K. Faraj, Hippolyte D. Affognon

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Off-farm grain storage is an important postharvest undertaking by government, traders and processors in Kenya. A survey was conducted in 2014/2015 to assess the kinds and magnitudes of perceived losses experienced in off-farm stores, and the factors associated with them. Store supervisors or key personnel charged with grain storage in 39 public and 74 private stores, spread across the six maize growing agro-ecological zones, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Total perceived losses averaged 17.6± 2.3%, and were attributed to insects (7.2± 1.0%), molds (5.7± 2.1%), moisture loss (3.4± 0.5%), rodents (2.0± 0.5%), spillage (0.50 ± 0.0%) and birds (0.10± …

Predicting Stem Borer Density In Maize Using Rapideye Data And Generalized Linear Models, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Tobias Landmann, Richard Kyalo, George Ong'amo, Sizah Mwalusepo, Saad Sulieman, Bruno Le Ru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Average maize yield in eastern Africa is 2.03 t ha−1 as compared to global average of 6.06 t ha−1 due to biotic and abiotic constraints. Amongst the biotic production constraints in Africa, stem borers are the most injurious. In eastern Africa, maize yield losses due to stem borers are currently estimated between 12% and 21% of the total production. The objective of the present study was to explore the possibility of RapidEye spectral data to assess stem borer larva densities in maize fields in two study sites in Kenya. RapidEye images were acquired for the Bomet (western Kenya) test site …

Performance Of Seed Treatments And In-Furrow At-Plant Insecticides For Protection Against Cry3bb1-Resistant Western Corn Rootworm, 2015, Jonas Victor De Macedo,, Kayla A. Mollet, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western corn rootworm is an important pest of corn that can compromise yield by feeding on plant roots during its larval stage. WCRW management has been complicated by the development of resistance in some regions, including Nebraska, to transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) traits, particularly the protein Cry3Bb1, which confers cross-resistance to mCry3A. A field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of neonicotinoid seed treatments in combination with in-furrow insecticides on a corn hybrid expressing mCry3A Bt proteins against corn rootworm in an area with a history of rootworm resistance. The trial was conducted in a farmer’s field in …

Evaluation Of Foliar Insecticides For The Control Of Western Bean Cutworm In Field Corn, 2015, Débora G. Montezano, Kayla A. Mollet, Grace E. Hirzel, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western bean cutworm (WBC) is an important pest of corn and dry beans. This study was conducted within the historic range of WBC in western Nebraska; however, it has undergone a rapid range expansion into the eastern Corn Belt within the last 16 years. This field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of a single application of foliar insecticides against this pest to prevent feeding damage to non-Bt corn ears. The trial was located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s West Central Water Resources Field Laboratory in Keith County, Nebraska, USA (41.160246° N, –102.035695° W). A RCB design with …

Evaluation Of Foliar Insecticides For The Control Of Western Bean Cutworm In Field Corn, 2016, Débora G. Montezano, Kayla A. Mollet, Grace E. Hirzel, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western bean cutworm (WBC) is an important pest of corn and dry beans. In addition to yield loss due to direct feeding on developing kernels in the ear, WBC infestation can also lead to secondary fungal infections. This study was conducted within the historic range of WBC in western Nebraska; however, it has undergone a rapid range expansion into the eastern Corn Belt within the last 16 years. This field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of a single application of foliar insecticides against this pest to prevent feeding damage to non-Bt corn ears. The trial was located …

On-Farm Maize Storage Systems And Rodent Postharvest Losses In Six Maize Growing Agro-Ecological Zones Of Kenya, Kukom Edoh Ognakossan, Hippolyte D. Affognon, Christopher M. Mutungi, Daniel N. Sila, Soul Kifouly G. Midingoyi, Willis O. Owino

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Rodents are one of the major postharvest pests that affect food security by impacting on both food availability and safety. However, knowledge of the impact of rodents in on-farm maize storage systems in Kenya is limited. A survey was conducted in 2014 to assess magnitudes of postharvest losses in on-farm maize storage systems in Kenya, and the contribution of rodents to the losses. A total of 630 farmers spread across six maize growing agro-ecological zones (AEZs) were interviewed. Insects, rodents and moulds were the main storage problems reported by farmers. Storage losses were highest in the moist transitional and moist …

Managing Storage Pests Of Maize: Farmers' Knowledge, Perceptions And Practices In Western Kenya, Charles A.O. Midega, Alice W. Murage, Jimmy O. Pittchar, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Insect pests are a key constraint to effective utilization of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with damage caused by these pests in the stores of particular concern. Although a number of approaches have been advanced for control of storage pests of maize, uptake remains a challenge, with effectiveness of some approaches being questionable. We conducted a survey in western Kenya among 330 respondents using face to face interviews and focus group discussions to evaluate farmers' practices, knowledge and perceptions of storage pests of maize, and their current practices in managing such pests as a basis for development of efficient …

Lessons From The Far End: Caterpillar Frass-Induced Defenses In Maize, Rice, Cabbage, And Tomato, Swayamjit Ray, Saumik Basu, Loren J. Rivera-Vega, Flor E. Acevedo, Joe Louis, Gary W. Felton, Dawn S. Luthe

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plant defenses to insect herbivores have been studied in response to several insect behaviors on plants such as feeding, crawling, and oviposition. However, we have only scratched the surface about how insect feces induce plant defenses. In this study, we measured frass-induced plant defenses in maize, rice, cabbage, and tomato by chewing herbivores such as European corn borer (ECB), fall armyworm (FAW), cabbage looper (CL), and tomato fruit worm (TFW). We observed that caterpillar frass induced plant defenses are specific to each host-herbivore system, and they may induce herbivore or pathogen defense responses in the host plant depending on the …

Low Permeability Triple-Layer Plastic Bags Prevent Losses Of Maize Caused By Insects In Rural On-Farm Stores, Jeremiah Ng’Ang’A, Christopher Mutungi, Samuel M. Imathiu, Hippolyte Affognon

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Participatory on-farm trials were conducted to assess effectiveness of Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS™) bags for storage of maize in small-scale farmers’ stores in rural villages in eastern Kenya. A PICS bag is a three-layered hermetic bag-system that forms a barrier against the influx of oxygen and the escape of carbon dioxide. Jute, woven polypropylene or PICS bags were filled with shelled maize grain, purchased from the participating farmers, and the three sets of bags kept in the farmers’ own stores for 35 weeks. Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the PICS bags were monitored, as well as the temperature …

Can Climate-Driven Change Influence Silicon Assimilation By Cereals And Hence The Distribution Of Lepidopteran Stem Borers In East Africa?, P. A. Calatayud, E. Njuguna, S. Mwalusepo, M. Gathara, G. Okuku, A. Kibe, B. Musyoka, D. Williamson, G. Ong'amo, G. Juma, T. Johansson, S. Subramanian, E. Gatebe, B. Le Ru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

In East Africa, lepidopteran stemborers such as Chilo partellus and Busseola fusca are major constraints to production of maize, which is the main staple food crop in the region. Cereals depend on silicon (Si)-based defences to fight off herbivores. Using altitudinal ranges in the East African highlands as ecological surrogates for inferring climate change, it was shown that Si concentrations in soil and maize decreased with altitude. This was attributed, in part, to low temperatures at high altitudes, which negatively affected Si assimilation by maize. Experiments showed that B. fusca was more susceptible to Si than C. partellus. Hence the …