Plant population and cultivar effects on yield losses caused by the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Maize plants were subjected to controlled infestations of Busseola fusca (Fuller). Variations in inter- and intra- row spacing had a pronounced influence on the damage caused by the pest. Both the rates of dispersal and the survival of the larvae were enhanced by increased plant population, with a concomitant increase in the number of damaged plants. High yielding, longer growing season maize cultivars suffered more severe yield losses under identical circumstances of infestation than shorter season cultivars of moderate yield potential.