The invention relates to a method for controlling pests of a maize plant comprising the step of contacting the maize plant parts of it or its propagation material with components of the ginkgo tree selected from bilobalide ginkgolide A ginkgolide B ginkgolide C ginkgolide J ginkgolide M and mixtures thereof and to the use of said components of the ginkgo tree for controlling pests on said maize plant parts of it or its plant propagation material.