Correlation of phenolic acid content of maize to resistance toSitophilus zeamais, the maize weevil, in CIMMYT'S collections

The (E)-ferulic acid content of the grain of nine populations of land races of maize derived from CIMMYT's collections was found to be negatively correlated to susceptibility characteristics towards the maize weevilSitophilus zeamais. Correlation coefficients for six susceptibility parameters and (E)-ferulic acid content were significant and ranged from -0.58 to -0.79. A multiple regression analysis by the SAS forward procedure using the primary seed characteristics associated with susceptibility indicated that the ferulic acid content was the only significant factor in explaining variation in at least two susceptibility parameters: the Dobie index and adult preference. In 15 CIMMYT pools, correlations between four susceptibility parameters and (E)-ferulic acid content were also significant (-0.76 to -0.81). The results suggest that phenolic acid content is a leading indicator of grain resistance or susceptibility to insects and may represent a newly identified mechanism of resistance.