DEVELOPMENT OF MAIZE WEEVILS (COLEOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE) ON CORN LINES RESISTANT TO AN AFLATOXIN-PRODUCING FUNGUS

Susceptibility to the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, of corn Lines bred for their resistance to the aflatoxin-producing fungu s Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fries was determined in the laboratory. D uration of maize weevil development, number of progeny produced, and a n index of susceptibility varied with corn line; number of eggs laid a nd survivorship from egg to adult emergence did not vary with corn lin e. Soluble carbohydrate, kernel hardness, lipid, soluble nitrogen, fre e and bound phenolic acids, Kjeldahl protein, and protein/carbohydrate ratio varied with corn line; equilibrium moisture content did not var y with corn line. The only relationship between biological parameters of maize weevils and chemical and physical properties of the stored co rn that was predictable was that maize weevil development time increas ed as lipid content of the corn increased. Susceptibility to A. flavus infection in the field was not correlated with susceptibility to maiz e weevil population growth or with chemical or physical properties of the stored corn. Predicted weevil population growth over a 180-d perio d varied 50-fold among the corn lines. Some of the corn lines that are less susceptible to infection by A. flavus in the field were also les s susceptible to maize weevils (particularly Mp420 and SC54).