Maize is arguably the most widely grown crop in the world, but it is often associated with one of its major insect pests, the European corn borer (ECB). The damage caused by this species to maize production is generally variable, but in many cases it is economically significant. This review paper provides an overview of the research findings on the natural plant defence mechanisms against ECB larvae published till now. What is resistance and how it is achieved, what is the chemical response of maize plants to insect feeding and how tolerance can be increased. A short introduction in breeding for resistance and a discussion if the mentioned traits can be used in conventional breeding in order to create maize hybrids less affected by ECB are given.

Recent European Union regulations aim at reducing the use of chemical pesticides in agriculture. In sunflower production in Serbia, the use of synthetic insecticides for soil and seed treatments has become a prevailing practice for wireworm (Coleoptera: Elateridae) control. However, a number of compounds efficiently used as seed treatments have been phased out. This work aimed at assessing the potential of an environmentally friendly “Attract and Kill” strategy (A&K) for controlling wireworms in sunflower in comparison to conventional insecticides. The experiments were carried out in 2018, 2019 and 2021 involving (a) soil treatments with ATTRACAP^® and a Force 1.5 G; (b) seed treatments with Sonido, Force 20 CS, Lumiposa and Buteo Start 480 FS; (c) controls (i.e., untreated seeds). The efficacy of the treatments was assessed based on the plant density and emerging plant damage (%). A damage rating scale (levels 0–5) was created, aiming for a more reliable and concrete interpretation of the results. Data were processed using binomial and multinomial regressions, followed by modelling of the damage and calculating the odds of damage occurrence, depending on the applied insecticide. In all experimental years and at all localities, the Force 20 CS and/or Force 1.5 G treatments resulted in the highest plant density and the lowest percentage of plant damage. ATTRACAP^® showed good effectiveness, since plant density and percentage of damaged plants were at the same level of significance as the commonly used conventional insecticides in sunflower production (Sonido for seed treatment and Force 1.5 G for soil treatment). Thus, the A&K strategy was efficient in controlling wireworms at conditions of low abundance, based on three-year experimental results. Although the damage rating scale enabled a clear differentiation of plant damage caused by wireworms responsible for reduced plant density, more reliable models were obtained by binomial regressions, classifying plants as damaged or undamaged.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important agricultural crops in the world; however, its production is often threatened by several harmful insects, one of which is the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). This study aimed to examine the efficacy of several biological control methods against this pest. A randomized block design was used in the study, which included three treatments: parasitic wasps (Trichogramma brassicae), common green lacewings (Chrysoperla carnea), a combination of both agents and a control. The results showed that the treatment with T. brassicae wasps, as well as their combination with C. carnea predators, significantly improved the maize grain yield over the control treatment. The same combined treatment significantly improved the yield over treatments with only Trichogramma and only C. carnea predators, suggesting a higher efficacy of the combination of both agents in improving grain yield. Fewer tunnels and larvae in stalks, compared to other treatments, including the control, were also observed in this treatment. The reduced number of tunnels and larvae in stalks directly enabled plants to allocate more resources into grain development, which contributed to improved grain yield. In light of the growing focus on minimizing insecticide applications to mitigate environmental impacts, a combination of parasitic wasp and lacewings predator could be a suitable biological alternative to the use of chemical insecticides.

Montenegro is, from an entomological point of view, one of the least studied countries in Europe. The Lepidoptera order has been severely understudied and an updated butterfly checklist has not been published for more than 30 years. Without proper knowledge on the species composition, and their distribution throughout the country, appropriate conservation measures cannot be undertaken. Thus an updated checklist of the butterflies of Montenegro was urgently needed. In this paper a list of 192 species of butterflies is presented, based on all available literature and on the authors’ own data gathered from 1998 to 2017. The inclusion or omission of some species from the list, as well as the occurrence and distribution of rare species, is discussed. A short historic overview of entomological research in Montenegro is also included. Records of five species, Lycaena thersamon, Kretania sephirus, Neptis sappho, Arethusana arethusa, and Erebia alberganus, discovered for the first time in the country, are presented.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a globally important crop, often affected by the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, ECB), a significant pest causing substantial yield losses. Chemical insecticides, such as chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb, are commonly used to control this pest; however, their environmental and health risks and potential for resistance development highlight the need for alternative pest management strategies. Biological control methods offer promising alternatives, including natural enemies and plant-derived compounds. This study evaluated the efficacy of neem oil, garlic extract, and chili pepper extracts against ECB larvae on pepper plants, comparing them to the chemical insecticides indoxacarb and chlorantraniliprole. Results from a two-year field experiment indicated that chlorantraniliprole exhibited the highest efficacy in reducing pepper fruit damage and larval survival, with the lowest damage severity and the lowest number of larvae per fruit. In the first year, neem oil and garlic extract showed promising results, effectively reducing fruit damage and performing comparably to indoxacarb. However, in the second year, only chlorantraniliprole showed consistent efficacy, likely due to unfavorable weather conditions that reduced the persistence of other treatments. Compared to the control, plant extracts showed higher efficacy in the first year of the trial, while indoxacarb was equally effective as the plant extracts. These findings suggest that plant-derived products like neem oil and garlic extract may be viable alternatives to chemical insecticides; however, further investigation is needed to optimize their application and efficacy in pest control.

Maize production is often threatened by numerous phytophagous insect species and diseases, among which the European corn borer (ECB) Ostrinia nubilalis and ear rot caused by Fusarium species stand out. The damage to maize ears caused by the European corn borer larvae can represent access points for Fusarium spores, increasing the probability of infection. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of insecticide treatment against the European corn borer and its subsequent impact on reducing the incidence of ear rot caused by Fusarium species. Additionally, the study sought to assess the prevalence of Fusarium species throughout the four-year experimental period. The study was performed from 2013 to 2016 and included a treatment and a control, with four replications. Each experimental year, a combination of chlorantraniliprole and lambda-cyhalothrin at a recommended dosage was applied as an insecticide treatment, while in the control treatment no insecticides were applied. The obtained results indicated that the insecticide treatment significantly reduced the number of ECB larvae on maize ears in all years of the study, except in 2015. The efficacy of the insecticide treatment in reducing the total number of damaged ears was significant only in 2016, while in other years, the efficacy varied. The insecticide treatment had a significant effect on the disease severity index and significantly reduced ear rot only in 2013. During the four-year study, F. verticillioides was the most commonly identified fungal species on maize, except in 2014, when F. graminearum was dominant. The insecticide treatment had no effect on the species diversity within the Fusarium genus.