Assistant Dean Department of Entomology, University of Georgia Tifton, Georgia, United States
The effect of Bt corn traits on corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), damage and its relationship with mycotoxin contamination was evaluated in field trials located in Plains and Tifton, Georgia in 2019. Only Bt hybrids that consisted of the Vip3Aa20 trait significantly reduced corn earworm damage as well as fumonisin levels to an extent. Other Bt traits provided just marginal control in comparison to their untreated counterparts. Corn earworm ear damage did not correlate with grain yield and grain aflatoxin contamination. Grain fumonisin contamination was positively associated with corn earworm damage. This indicates Bt hybrids that efficiently reduce earworm damage may also help to reduce fumonisin contamination of corn grain.
