Pests create a serious danger to maize yields in Poland. The average quantitative and qualitative yield loss caused by pests feeding on maize amounts to approx. 20%, and can be considerably higher in local cultivars. Protection against pests is one of the most essential elements of maize production, often determining the cost-effectiveness of the entire production process. Management of the amount and harmful effect of selected pest activity in integrated corn production involves such measures as agrotechnical, cultivation, biological and chemical methods, as well as the use of transgenic plant varieties. Non-chemical methods are recommended as the first remedy, and when found insufficient, they should be followed by the rational application of chemical plant protection agents, according to the toxicity levels defined for the most important pest species. In chemical pest control special attention should be paid to the protection of beneficial entomofauna present in habitats created by maize cultivars. Although natural predators may not always successfully lessen the number of pests to the level safe for crops, they are an important tool for the reduction of populations of many harmful species.

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