Abstract: 【Aim】 The yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée), has become the major insect pest of corn in Huang-Huai-Hai Region. This study aims to clarify the relationship between the occurrence of C. punctiferalis and the severity of corn ear rot, and the effect of ear infestation by C. punctiferalis on corn yield loss. 【Methods】 The corn ears were inoculated with neonate larvae of C. punctiferalis and Fusarium verticillioides singly or complexly at the silking, blister and milk stages of corn ears, respectively, and then the damage degree of C. punctiferalis, the occurrence rate of ear rot, the disease index and the corn yield were investigated. 【Results】 For different inoculated developmental stages of corn ears, the disease index by the complex inoculation with C. punctiferalis larvae and F. verticillioides was the highest, followed by the single inoculation with C. punctiferalis larvae, and then by the single inoculation with F. verticillioides. When the corn ears were inoculated with C. punctiferalis larvae at the silking stage of corn ears, the occurrence of the corn ear rot and the borer damage was the most serious. The corn yield components were affected when the corn ears were complexly inoculated with both C. punctiferalis larvae and F. verticillioides, with the highest yield loss per ear (33.09%) at the silking stage and 22.50% and 10.13% yield loss per ear at the blister and milk stages, respectively. 【Conclusion】 The yellow peach moth infestation during the developmental stage of corn ears significantly aggravates the occurrence of corn ear rot and causes heavier yield loss of corn.

Key words: Conogethes punctiferalis, Fusarium ear rot, Fusarium verticillioides, incidence, yield loss