Maize
Guides
Agromyza parvicornis
Corn Blotch Leafminer
A leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, primarily associated with corn (Zea mays) cultivation. The species creates distinctive blotch-shaped mines in host plant foliage. It is considered a minor and sporadic agricultural pest with limited economic impact. Documented from North American corn-growing regions and more recently recorded in Mexico.
Dalbulus maidis
corn leafhopper, cigarrinha-do-milho, chicharrita del maíz
Dalbulus maidis is a phloem-feeding leafhopper and one of the most significant pests of maize production across the Americas. It serves as the primary vector of the corn stunt disease complex, transmitting at least four pathogens including Spiroplasma kunkelii, maize bushy stunt phytoplasma, and Maize rayado fino virus. The species exhibits strict host specialization with Zea mays, enabling highly efficient pathogen transmission. Population outbreaks can cause yield losses exceeding 80% in affected regions. The species has become increasingly problematic in Argentina and Brazil, particularly under intensive continuous maize cultivation systems.
Doru taeniatum
lined earwig
Doru taeniatum, the lined earwig, is a predaceous earwig species in the family Forficulidae. It is native to the Americas, ranging from North America through Central America to South America. The species has been studied extensively for its potential role in biological control, particularly in maize agroecosystems where it preys on pest lepidopterans including the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). Laboratory studies indicate it is omnivorous, capable of completing development and reproduction on plant pollen or lepidopteran eggs alone, with optimal fitness on mixed or egg-only diets.
Graminella nigrifrons
black-faced leafhopper
Graminella nigrifrons is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae that serves as a significant agricultural pest and plant virus vector. It transmits multiple agronomically important pathogens including corn stunt virus, maize chlorotic dwarf virus, maize fine streak virus, and phytoplasmas. The species feeds on phloem sap of maize, sorghum, oats, and various grass species. Research has characterized its salivary gland transcriptome, revealing 14,297 salivary gland-enriched transcripts and 195 predicted secretory peptides involved in host feeding and potential modulation of plant defenses.
Leucania senescens
cutworm, dart moth
Leucania senescens is a noctuid moth (family Noctuidae) described by Möschler in 1890. Originally known from North America, it was first recorded in Brazil in 2019, where larvae have been observed feeding on maize silk in both Bt and conventional varieties. The species has been documented at 13 localities in Brazil through systematic surveys and is associated with agricultural systems containing grass crops. It is part of a complex of herbivorous insects associated with maize agroecosystems and serves as a host for braconid and tachinid parasitoids.
Liorhyssus hyalinus
Hyaline Grass Bug
Liorhyssus hyalinus is a small scentless plant bug in the family Rhopalidae, widely distributed across multiple continents. Adults measure 6.5–7.5 mm and are active year-round in suitable climates. The species is a documented pest of quinoa cultivation in South America, particularly at lower elevations outside the crop's Andean origin, and has been recorded feeding on developing grains of maize and sorghum. Laboratory studies indicate optimal development and reproduction occur at 30°C, with five nymphal instars and thermal requirements of 68.6 degree-days for egg development and 114.8 degree-days for nymphal development.
Liriomyza marginalis
Liriomyza marginalis is a species of leafminer fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Malloch in 1913. It has been recorded in the United States, West Indies, Brazil, and Mexico. A 2021 study documented it as a new record associated with maize crops in Mexico, marking the first known agricultural association for this species. Like other members of the genus Liriomyza, the larvae likely feed within leaf tissue, though specific morphological and behavioral details remain poorly documented.
Tetraneura nigriabdominalis
Tetraneura nigriabdominalis is a holocyclic, heteroecious gall-forming aphid native to East Asia that has expanded its range globally and is now established in Europe and North America. The species alternates between primary hosts (elm trees, genus Ulmus) and secondary hosts (roots of grasses in the family Poaceae, including maize). On elms, fundatrices induce characteristic galls on leaves, with development rates and fecundity strongly influenced by spring temperatures. The species has been documented as a potential agricultural pest due to its association with cultivated maize.