Research Information System
Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, vol.47, no.5, pp.645-651, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
The presence of spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Türkiye was recorded for the first time in 2014. Chilo partellus, an invasive species, originates in Southeast Asia and is widely distributed in Asia and Africa. It is among the most important pests of corn and sorghum with a high competitive ability among stem borers. Therefore, the study was carried out in 2018 and 2019 to determine the spread of the pest and the rate of contamination in the corn production areas which are the highest in the provinces of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye. In both regions, sampling was carried out in 503 fields on a total area of 3.743,4 ha in 2018, and in 466 fields on a total area of 3.520,4 ha in 2019. The study revealed that C. partellus spread to Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, and Kilis provinces of the Southeastern Anatolia region, and entered the Erdemli district of Mersin for the first time in 2018 and the Mut district for the first time in the Eastern Mediterranean region in 2019. The infestation rate of the pest in the first crop corn production areas was found to be lower than in the second crop corn. As the number of pesticide applications increased in the fields where chemical control was applied, the rate of contamination decreased. While the contamination rate of the pest was 70% lower in the first crop corn, it reached 100% in the second crop corn. Furthermore, it has been observed that natural enemies are effective on the infestation rates of the pest. Since the pest spreads rapidly in seven provinces in both regions, it is very likely to infect other regions where corn is produced in Türkiye. If the pest is controlled especially in the vegetative period in corn, the rate of spread of the pest can be reduced.