The present studies were carried out during two successive seasons; 2006 and 2007 at Sakha Agricultural Research Station Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate. An area of about 1.5 fed. was cultivated with corn to study the influence of planting dates, nitrogen fertilizer levels and planting spaces between hills on corn infestation with the European corn borer,Ostrinia nubilalis Hub..
Corn plants sown in April plantation were subjected to the least numbers of O. nubilalis larvae with average numbers of 1.7±0.9 and 2.1±0.9 larvae / 5 plants whilein June plantation, the larvae occurred with a moderate numbers with averages of 5.0±1.4 and 8.6±2.2 and reached its maximum in July plantation with averages of 54.3±11.5 and 80.5±15.7 larvae / 5 plants during the two successive seasons. The statistical analysis revealed highly significant differences in the number of the insect larvae between the three planting dates.
Increase of nitrogen fertilizer levels from zero to 360 kg / fed. caused significant increase in the numbers of infested plants and percentages of infestation. When the corn plants were supplied with 360, 260, 160 and zero kg nitrogen / fed., the average numbers of infested plants with O. nubilaliswere 9.5±1.7 and 8.6±1.7 , 7.8±1.5 and 7.6±1.4 , 6.5±1.2 and 7.1±1.4 and 4.9±1.0 and 5.4±1.2 / 20 plants during seasons 2006 and 2007, respectively.While percentages of infestation were 47.7±8.6% and 42.9±8.5%, 39.1 ± 7.5% and 37.9±7.0%, 32.7±6.2% and 35.4±7.2% and 24.5±4.8% and 27.1±5.9 % to four nitrogen levels during seasons 2006 and 2007, respectively. The statistical analysis revealed highly significant differences in the average number of infested plants with O. nubilalisbetween levels of nitrogen fertilizer during both seasons.
Increase of planting spaces from 20 to 30 cm between hills caused insignificant decrease in the numbers of infested plants and percentages of infestation. The average numbers of infested plants with O. nubilalis for the three planting spaces, 20, 25 and 30 cm were 9.1±1.9 and 10.2±2.0, 8.6±1.7 and 9.1±1.8 and 7.2±1.4 and 6.8±1.4 /20 plants during two seasons 2006 and 2007, respectively. While, percentages of infestation were 45.4±9.6% and 51.1±9.9% , 43.2±8.5% and 45.4±8.9% and 36.1±7.2% and 33.9±6.9% to three planting spaces during two seasons 2006 and 2007, respectively. The statistical analysis revealed insignificant differences between the three planting spaces during the two successive seasons of study.