FEATURES OF THE CONTROL OF EUROPEAN CORN BORER AND COTTON BOLLWORM CATERPILLARS ON MAIZE IN THE FOOTHILL ZONE OF KABARDINO-BALKARIA

Cotton bollworm and European corn borer caterpillars are the main pests of maize ears in the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic. The aim of the research was to evaluate the biological efficacy of new domestic insecticides against these caterpillars during the growing season of maize hybrids of different maturity groups. Optimizing mineral fertilizer rates at N45P30K30 kg/ha a. i. was found to suppress the development of both European corn borer and cotton bollworm. Higher fertilizer rates significantly increased damage caused by lepidopteran pests. The biological efficacy thresholds of insecticides under field conditions in the foothill zone of Kabardino-Balkaria against the European corn borer and cotton bollworm were determined. Karate Zeon (lambda-cyhalothrin 50 g/L) showed 44.6 % and 74.6 % efficacy, Faskord (alpha-cypermethrin 100 g/L) 86.9 % and 96.8 %, Sharpei (cypermethrin 250 g/L) 87.2 % and 92.2 %, and Stilet (indoxacarb + abamectin 100 + 40 g/L) 93.2 % and 82.7 %, respectively.