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corn rootworm
noun
: any of several chrysomelid beetles (genus Diabrotica) whose root-eating larvae are pests especially of corn
Examples of corn rootworm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In field trials with severe infestations, the plants had 95% less root damage by corn rootworm larvae compared with conventional corn, according to a 2017 study.
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Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 27 June 2024
In 2018, Moar and colleagues published a paper showing that the western corn rootworm evolved to stop taking up the dsRNA from its gut.
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Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 27 June 2024
This ability could explain why the Western corn rootworm has spread throughout the maize-growing regions of the world, while other related beetles have been far more constrained.
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Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 24 Nov. 2011
But the Western corn rootworm ignores these rules of engagement.
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Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 24 Nov. 2011
The bacterium targets agricultural pests, such as corn rootworm and Colorado potato beetle, but leaves pollinators like bees unharmed.
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Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2013
Trapping and studying the corn rootworm has been Verónica Calles Torrez’s route to exploring North Dakota.
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NBC news, 15 Sep. 2021
The western corn rootworm beetle grows to only the length of a grain of rice.
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Tess Joosse, Scientific American, 16 Aug. 2021
Cucumber beetle larvae, also known as corn rootworms, feed on corn roots, causing plants to weaken and collapse.
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The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, 5 Apr. 2016
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Word History
First Known Use
1892, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near corn rootworm
Cite this Entry
“Corn rootworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corn%20rootworm. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
More from Merriam-Webster on corn rootworm
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about corn rootworm
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