CORN PRODUCTION

& CORN PESTS OF

BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM

Crop Protection Unit

Entomology Lab
Brunei Agricultural Research Centre
Department of Agriculture
Brunei Darussalam.
Sweet Corn in Brunei Darussalam
INTRODUCTION

Sweet corn is one of the most important cash crops in Brunei Darussalam. It
ranks 1st in arable crops in term of quantity as well as market values as well.
Statistic issued by Brunei Agriculture Department shows that total
consumptions was about 450 mt in 2006.

Sweet corn in Brunei Darussalam is mainly for human consumption. Besides

fresh, steaming and grilled, sweet corn is also marketed as chilled, kernel
and mixed vegetables.

With rapidly increasing demand, as a result of significant increase in

popularity of delicious taste modern sweet corn variety supported by
government incentives on agricultural inputs as well as infrastructure
development and attractive farm gate price, there has been an increase in
numbers of farmers growing this crop.

As our Government endeavors through the Department of Agriculture

Department to meet these requirements, every initiative has been taken to
support the corn planting program. These include providing subsidies of
quality hybrid seed and other agricultural inputs as well as advisory services
on crop technology, pest and disease management.
The yellow flint sweet corn is commercially grown
in Brunei Darussalam. Sweet corn farmers grow
up to four crops a year. Brunei-Muara District
has the highest production of sweet corn.
Cropping season is all year round where sweet
corn commands higher price at harvest time.

In recent years the production of sweet corn is

increasing because of expansion of the areas
planted. Thus import is reduced gradually. It is
envisaged that, Brunei Darussalam will attaining
self sufficiency in the near future.
Table 1
LOCAL PRODUCTION OF CORN

2004 2005 2006

Young Corn 17,323 34,493 4239

( kg ) (B$56,758) (B$131,191) ($12,270)

Sweet Corn 97,096 145,694 370,455

( kg ) (B$171,582) ($303,402) ($532,609)
Table 2
IMPORTATION CORN

2004 2005 2006

116,181 74,212 75,565

Young Corn
(B$279,648) (B$210,361) (B$223,341)
( kg )

379,378 248,535 126,081

Sweet Corn
(B$340,532) (B$185,724) (B$107,798)
( kg )

Grain Corn
(Animal feed) 370 373 315
( mt )
Table 3
Area Planted With Sweet Corn

% Increase
Year Hectare (ha)
( based on 2004 )

2004 12.7

2005 19.2 51 %

2006 48.7 283 %

Table 4 POPULAR VARIETIES OF SWEET
CORN

COUNTRY Varieties
Known Your Sweet Jean ( yellow/white )
Seed
Taiwan Honey Jean .No : 2 & 3

1357 Bright Jean

New Jean
Malaysia C 56
 Pest Control Methods

Effective use of pesticides and good quality

seed as well as good farm management
are recommended for pest and disease
prevention and control.
 Insect Pest at Various Development
Phases of Sweet Corn

1. Sowing to germinating.
2. Vegetative to flowering stages.
3. Tasseling and cob setting.
4. Harvesting.
White
White Grubs
Grubs
Army
Army Worm
Worm
Cut
Cut Worm
Worm
Leaf
Leaf Hooper
Hooper
Thrips
Thrips

Thrips Parvispinus

Thrips Palmi

Phlaeothripidae. Hoplothrips
Table 5
Insect Pest Infestation Phase

Sweet Corn Development Phase

1 2 3 4

Agrotis sp. √ √

Atherigona sp.
√

Dactylispa balyi
√ √

Ostrinia furnacalis
Ostrinia salentialis snell √ √ √

Heliothis armigera √ √ √
Monoctenocera brachiella Hamps √
Table 6
LIST OF PATHOGENS RECORDED ON Zea mays
IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
Pathogen Remarks
Acremonium sp. Minute leaf spot and leaf necrosis.
Occasional strong growth gives the appearance of a
Alternaria longissima
sooty mould on leaves.
Apiospora camptospora
Common leaf speckle.
(Pteroconium state)
Aspergillus flavus Found on dead seeds.
Botryodiplodia theobromae On blighted leaves.
Leaf blight, first recorded on maize imported illegally
Cercospora fusimaculans
from Japan.
Cladosporium oxysporum Found on blighted leaves.
Cochliobolus geniculatus
On necrotic leaves.
(Curvularia state)

Cochliobulus heterostrophus Leafstripe; the most commonest disease in the crop.

Only requires control where crops are grown in
(conidial Drechslera maydis) succession for seed multiplication.
 Pathogen Remarks
Although common on rice in brunei this is the
Corticium sasaki only record of the fungus on maize in the state
and also from the same material from Japan.
Curvularia eragrostidis Associated with leaf stripes.
Has caused serious blight of young seedlings
Curvularia leonensis
under waterlooged conditions.
Curvularia pallescens On dead leaves.
Curvularia sp. On necrotic leaves.
Didymosphaeria sp. Associated with leaf spots.
Fusarium equiseti Associated with cob rots.
Fusarium oxysporum Found in rotten stems.
Fusarium semitectum On dead leaves.
Gibberella fujikuroi Occasional top stalk rot causing collapse of
(Fusarium moniliforme) plants.
 Pathogen Remarks

Leptosphaeria michotii Occasional leaf spot, usually at the leaf tips.

Macrophomina phaseolina Occasional collar rot.

Nigrospora oryzae On rotten cobs.
Nigrospora sphaerica On rotten cobs.
Pestalotiopsis versicolor Common on blighted leaves.
Phaeotrichoconis crotalariae Minor leaf spotting.
Phoma sorghina Minor leaf spot.
Rust, quite common but has never been damaging,
Puccinia polysora usually coming in when the crop is nearing
maturity.
Occasional outbreaks of seedling rot under wet
Pythium vexans
conditions.
Septoria zeicola Minor leaf spot.
 Pathogen Remarks

Setosphaeria turcica (Drechslera state) Only recorded once.

Occasional stalk rot causing collapse of plants,

Thanatephorus cucumeris
losses can be 10%-15%.
Trichoderma sp. On rotting seeds.
Common smut, found once on two plants in
Ustilago maydis
1978.
Found on necrotic leaves along with other
Xylaria sp.
fungi.
In wet weather losses of 15-20% occur
through bacterial stalk rot. Removal and
Erwinia carotovora
burning of infected material plus copper
spraying is ameliorative.
Maize streak virus Rarely seen.
Table 7 COMMONLY USED PESTICIDES FOR
SWEET CORN
Active Ingredients Chemical Family WHO Hazard Level
1) Herbicides
2, 4-D Amine Phenoxy II
Glyfosinate Organophosate IV
Glyphosate IV
Glypfosinate Ammonium III
2) Fungicides
Benomyl Benzimidazole IV
Captan Phthalimide IV
Maneb Dithiocarbamate IV
Mancozeb Thiocarbamate IV
3) Insecticides
Cypermethrin Pycethroid III
Fenthion Organophosphate II
Lamda-Cyhalothrin Pyrethroid III
Lebaycid Organopphosphates II
Malathion Organopphosphates III
Carbaryl Carbamate II
Table 8
LISTS OF INSECT PESTS ON
SWEET CORN
CROPS INSECTS REMARKS

Stem & Cob Borer Spray from 6 to 7 leaf stage when first
(Ostrinia furnacalis) instar larva are found on terminal
shoot.
Dipterous Borer Spray from plant emergence up to 4
(Silba sp., leaf stage where the pests is likely to
Sweet Corn be a problem.
Anterigona sp.)
Aphids Spray when aphids are present in
(Rhopalosiphum maidis) large number usually 3 to 4 weeks
after transplanting.
Mole cricket Infestation may occur at plant
(Gryllotalpa africana) emergence. Spray to the soil at base
of the plant if losses causing concern.