Integrated Crop Management is published by the Department of Entomology , Iowa State University , Ames, Iowa. Insect pests of corn are often involved in the disease cycles of ear rot and stalk rot diseases. The European corn borer is particularly well known for its involvement in these diseases. Because of these interactions, it is logical that some disease control might be achieved through the control of European corn borers, either by insecticide or genetic engineering. Like any management practice, there are limitations to the benefits provided by Bt corn.
Stalk rot symptoms developing from European corn borer tunneling site.
Much of our research has focused on Fusarium ear rot because it is the most common ear rot disease in the Midwest and it is closely associated with insect damage to ears. Although this disease does not cause a great deal of yield loss, it reduces grain quality and the fungi can produce mycotoxins, such as the fumonisins. Specific hybrids differed between locations. When the plants were manually infested with corn borers, the level of Fusarium ear rot was high in the non-Bt hybrids, but was much lower in some Bt hybrids. Sometimes control is seen even in hybrids that do not express the Bt protein in kernels.