Adult survival of Dalbulus maidis during the maize off-season under diverse environmental conditions: A stochastic modeling approach

Abstract

Dalbulus maidis, a key maize pest in the Americas, poses significant challenges to agricultural productivity due to its role as a vector for Corn Stunt Disease and its dependency on maize for survival. This study models the dynamics of adult survival of these leafhoppers during the maize off-season under diverse environmental conditions using Weibull distributions and a stochastic age-based compartmental framework. Temperature-dependent survival was validated against experimental data, revealing distinct mortality trends across different environments: presence of maize plants, presence of alternative sources of food, hydration or shelter, and complete absence of water and food. Our findings emphasize the critical influence of the environment on pest resilience, providing insight into its persistence during the maize off-seasons. The proposed model offers a solid foundation for refining pest management practices and enhancing crop protection in diverse agroecosystems.