European Corn Borer Management

The European com borer is an introduced insect species that significantly affects com, (seed-, field-, pop- and sweet-) as well as many vegetables and other cash crops such as sorghum and cotton. It came to North America during the early 1900\u27s, possibly in broomcorn imported from central Europe. It was first found in the north central states in 1921. During most of this early history, this moth species had one generation per year. A two-generation per year population came into Illinois in 1939, Iowa in 1942, Nebraska in 1944 and South Dakota in 1946. More recently, this two-generation type has spread into northern Minnesota, North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta (Showers et al. 1989). Now, a partial third-generation usually occurs annually in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. This increase of annual generations is believed to be related to significant plantings of long-season com hybrids (Showers, in press)

Organization of Partner Knowledge: Relationship Outcomes and Longitudinal Change

This study examined the association between organization of knowledge about a romantic partner (partner structure) and relationship status (ongoing or ended) 1 year later. Ironically, partner structures that were associated with more positive feelings about one’s partner at Time 1 were associated with greater rates of breakup by Time 2. These results are interpreted in terms of the vulnerability of compartmentalized partner structures to shifts in the salience of negative beliefs and the hypothesized difficulty of maintaining integrative structures for an extended period of time. Change in partner structure during 1 year’s time was consistent with the predictions of the dynamic model that evaluative integration should increase when negative beliefs become salient. Such change (which may represent a transient shift) was associated with couples’ longevity when relationship conflict was low, supporting the view that integration reflects a struggle with negative attributes that may or may not be successful.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Transgenic Bt Corn: Is This the Future of Insect Pest Management?

In a few short years, it is expected that a dramatically different management tactic will be ready for field corn producers to combat the ravages of the European com borer. This new tactic currently goes by a variety of names including genetically-engineered com, transgenic com, Bt com, or transgenic Bt com. But whatever name eventually is used, it offers a hope that biotechnology will deliver a corn plant that is resistant to leaf feeding, stalk tunneling, dropped ears and reduced grain yields caused by the European corn borer

Self-Structure and Self-Esteem Stability: The Hidden Vulnerability of Compartmentalization

The present studies examined the association between self-concept structure and stability of self-esteem. In two daily diary studies, evaluative integration (organizing positively and negatively valenced self-beliefs into the same self-aspects) was associated with more stable self-esteem than evaluative compartmentalization (organizing positively and negatively valenced self-beliefs into separate self-aspects) among individuals with generally high self-esteem. Moreover, analyses of self-esteem reactivity confirmed that the sensitivity of state self-esteem to daily events was greater for compartmentalized individuals than for individuals with relatively integrative self-concept structures. Compartmentalization also was associated with greater sensitivity to experiences of social rejection in the laboratory, consistent with the view that integration affords greater stability of self-evaluations. These results suggest that some of the benefits believed to be associated with compartmentalization (such as high self-esteem) may have hidden costs that have not previously been considered.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Influence of host plant, geography and pheromone strain on genomic differentiation in sympatric populations of Ostrinia nubilalis

Patterns of mating for the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) moth depend in part on variation in sex‐pheromone blend. The ratio of (E)‐11‐ and (Z)‐11‐tetradecenyl acetate (E11‐ and Z11‐14:OAc) in the pheromone blend that females produce and males respond to differs between strains of O. nubilalis. Populations also vary in female oviposition preference for and larval performance on maize (C4) and non‐maize (C3) host plants. The relative contributions of sexual and ecological trait variation to the genetic structure of O. nubilalis remains unknown. Host‐plant use (13C/14C ratios) and genetic differentiation were estimated among sympatric E and Z pheromone strain O. nubilalis males collected in sex‐pheromone baited traps at 12 locations in Pennsylvania and New York between 2007 and 2010. Among genotypes at 65 single nucleotide polymorphism marker loci, variance at a position in the pheromone gland fatty acyl‐reductase (pgfar) gene at the locus responsible for determining female pheromone ratio (Pher) explained 64% of the total genetic differentiation between males attracted to different pheromones (male response, Resp), providing evidence of sexual inter‐selection at these unlinked loci. Principal coordinate, Bayesian clustering, and distance‐based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) demonstrate that host plant history or geography does not significantly contribute to population variation or differentiation among males. In contrast, these analyses indicate that pheromone response and pgfar‐defined strain contribute significantly to population genetic differentiation. This study suggests that behavioral divergence likely plays a larger role in driving genetic variation compared to host plant‐defined ecological adaptation

Specific and individuated death reflection fosters identity integration

Identity integration is the process wherein a person assimilates multiple or conflicting identities (e.g., beliefs, values, needs) into a coherent, unified self-concept. Three experiments examined whether contemplating mortality in a specific and individuated manner (i.e., via the death reflection manipulation) facilitated outcomes indicative of identity integration. Participants in the death reflection condition (vs. control conditions) considered positive and negative life experiences as equally important in shaping their current identity (Experiment 1), regarded self-serving values and other-serving values as equally important life principles (Experiment 2), and were equally motivated to pursue growth-oriented and security-oriented needs (Experiment 3). Death reflection motivates individuals to integrate conflicting aspects of their identity into a coherent self-concept. Given that identity integration is associated with higher well-being, the findings have implications for understanding the psychological benefits of existential contemplation