Husk and Kernel Resistance Among Maize Hybrids to an Insect Complex123

The husks of selected hybrids of corn, Zea. mays (L.), provided significant protection against the ravages of several insect species and contributed to increased yields. The corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and the pink scavenger caterpillar, Sathrobrota rileyi (Walsingham), were more damaging than Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky. Correlations among damage ratings indicated that pink scavenger caterpillar and corn earworm damage were more closely related than damage associated with either earworm or pink scavenger caterpillar in combination with S. zeamais . The corn earworm, pink scavenger caterpillar, and S. zeamais ranked in that order of economic importance in these tests. Both husks and/or kernels of some hybrids were resistant to insect damage.