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The International Working Group on Ostrinia
and other Maize Pests (IWGO) is a well-established, large Global-IOBC
Working Group, which deals with integrated pest management options for
all maize insect pests and pest resistance problems. The group is open
to all scientists who are interested in working within an international
organization dedicated to issues and activities related to maize pests.
All the IWGO Conferences and meetings held to date have provided a
valuable international platform for the exchange of research,
experiences, and ideas on the integrated management of Ostrinia,
and other maize pests through the use of chemical, cultural, and
biological control measures. Based on these activities, IWGO is highly
recognized by different stakeholders as an international and
independent expert group.
The original idea of IWGO was to exchange inbred lines within the group
and test these lines for resistance against the most important maize
pest throughout the world, the European Corn Borer, Ostrinia
nubilalis. The influence of other pests on maize became more and
more important over time and colleagues from Asia included problems
dealing with the Asian Corn Borer, Ostrina furnacalis, and
southern European colleagues brought research work concerning Sesamia
nonagroides into the group. The occurrence of the Western Corn
Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, in Europe in 1992
became a further topic for discussion. Additionally, Elateridae
(wireworms) management options are discussed within the group.
Over the last 2+ decades, IWGO has published several
technical publications and IWGO Conference Proceedings. In 1981, an
"IWGO - NEWSLETTER" was established by the former Convenor Harald
BERGER and this is published biannually. This is an excellent way to
link the members and to establish a permanent record of the activities
of the working group, distribute information provided by working group
members, and to publish the abstracts of papers presented at the
various meetings and conferences.
Dr. Ulrich KUHLMANN, Convenor IWGO
Dr. Thomas W. Sappington, Co-Convenor IWGO
Prof. Wang ZHENYING, Co-Convenor IWGO
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