RESISTANCE OF A MAIZE POPULATION, FAWCC(C5), TO FALL ARMYWORM LARVAE (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE)

Field tests at Mississippi State, MS, and Tifton, GA, were conducted t o evaluate the effect of resistance of a maize, Zea mays (L.), germpla sm population, 'GT-FAWCC(C5)', to feeding by larvae of the fall armywo rm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Plants of selected maize entr ies were infested at the 8 and 12 leaf stage with two applications of 15 larvae pel plant. Resistance traits measured were leaf damage at 7 and 14 days after infestation and number and weight of surviving larva e per plant at 7 and 10 days after infestation. Leaf damage ratings at both 7 and 14 days after infestation and the number and weight of sur viving larvae per plant on GT-FAWCC(5) at 7 and 10 days after infestat ion on GT-FAWCC(C5) equalled the number and weight of surviving larvae on 'MpSWCB-4', the resistant check. Both the resistant check and GT-F AWCC(C5) were significantly more resistant to whorl damage than the su sceptible check, 'Ab24E x SC229', for all resistance traits. It is evi dent that antibiosis (low weight) and nonpreference (fewer larvae per plant and fewer larvae preferring leaf samples) mechanisms of resistan ce are present in the GT-FAWCC(C5) population as well as for MpSWCB-4.