Quantitative relationships between Ostrinia nubilalis activity and deoxynivalenol contamination in French maize

We investigated the indirect effect of an insecticide spray against the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner; Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on mycotoxin contaminations of grain maize at the harvest stage. Between 2004 and 2009, 45 paired plots comparing insecticide treatment with untreated control were studied in Alsace administrative region, in the northeast of France. An average reduction of 78% in O. nubilalis larval densities was observed in insecticide-treated plots compared with control plots. Mean levels of deoxynivalenol mycotoxin in harvested grain were significantly reduced from 849 ppb in the control samples to 152 ppb in the insecticide-treated samples. A statistical modelling approach involving Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) was employed to identify and rank the associated variables for damage and pest density on different plant parts, on deoxynivalenol levels in harvested grain at harvest. The modelling revealed that the occurrence and the density of O. nubilalis larvae in maize stalks and in ears are the best indicators for deoxynivalenol contamination. The identification of these deoxynivalenol contamination risk factors, along with other factors such as genetic background, harvest date and crop rotation allows improvement of the risk assessment and risk forecasting in maize crops in order to manage crop safety and maintain maize deoxynivalenol mycotoxin levels below the European Regulation (EC) No. 1126/2007 threshold.