ARS scientists are working on a new technology which they hope will allow growers to control Helicoverpa zea (the corn earworm, tomato fruitworm and cotton bollworm) with fewer chemicals than currently used. The scientists are hoping to capitalize on a peculiar habit of the adult female H. zea: she feeds the first night after she emerges and postpones mating until the second night. If what attracts the moths to certain flowers can be determined, perhaps the food can be laced with pesticides and thus kill the females before they have a chance to mate. Now the trick is to reproduce the plant's flower scents artificially.

Scientists have identified about a dozen major compounds within the floral extracts--all of them easily synthesized. But the question still remains: which of those dozen compounds is the one or ones that actually attracts the moths? Since there are thousands of possible mixtures, it may take a year or longer to discover the ideal combination. Once that has been done, the floral attractant, a feeding stimulant, and an insecticide could be impregnated in a twist tie which could be wrapped around the cornstalk or tomato vine. The twist tie, unlike sprayed insecticides, need never touch the ear of corn or the tomato. Yet, the insecticide would be much more effective than trying to kill caterpillars burrowed deep into a plant. Since each female is capable of laying 500 eggs, killing the females before mating would require less expensive chemicals. Finally, since moths can travel 300 miles or more in a single night, this method will stop them before they have a chance to travel, spreading crop damage.

For more information on this or other topics related to corn production, contact your state extension corn specialist or your local extension educator/agent.

The following is the link to the corn extension specialists: state extension corn specialist