Effects of methyl jasmonate seed treatment on adult and larval seed corn maggot (Delia platura) preference, and impacts of soil amendments

Seed corn maggot (Delia platura) is an agricultural pest that develops in the soil by consuming organic matter, such as corn seeds. Typically, neonicotinoid-coated corn seeds are used to combat seed corn maggot; however, the Bees and Birds Act bans the usage of neonicotinoids in New York by 2029 due to their adverse effects on the environment and greater ecology. One potential alternative method of pest management is methyl jasmonate (MeJa), which induces plants’ natural defense pathways against insect herbivory. Conversely, the common presence of detritus in soil, such as liquid dairy manure or meat meal, has been shown to serve as an alternative feeding substrate for seed corn maggot larva and attracts adult flies to oviposit. To determine the potential efficacy of MeJa seed treatments in field conditions, bioassays were conducted in which adult flies were able to oviposit on either MeJa-treated or untreated seeds with different soil backgrounds, or larvae were are able to choose to feed on either treated to untreated seeds. The results revealed that MeJa seed treatment was able to deter adult fly oviposition in some soil backgrounds with an attractant, but not all, indicating that MeJa’s efficacy is altered by the soil environment it is in. Additionally, we found that larvae did not exhibit a significant preference for either MeJa-treated or untreated corn seeds. These findings will help construct effective pest management strategies with MeJa that do not pose risks to environments surrounding agricultural fields.

The ten weeks I have spent in the Boyce Thompson Institute’s REU program have been a pivotal period of my undergraduate experience. Thanks to the hands-on work and independence afforded to me by my mentor, I feel more confident than ever that I am capable of achieving my personal and professional goals in the future. I leave with a better understanding of where my interests lay. Research was once a daunting idea, and now it has been demystified as an achievable path for the future. It was fascinating to learn more about the many facets involved in plant science through the diverse work carried out by each lab. I thank everyone in the Thaler lab and the REU for making this summer an unforgettable experience that I will forever look back on.