Applied Entomology and Zoology (1999) 34, 279-283

C.M. Ignoffo, J.F.H. Wong and S.G. Saathoff (1999)
Mortality and feeding of mid-stadium larvae of Helicoverpa zea and Heliothis virescens fed a wild strain or a recombinant strain of Baculovirus heliothis expressing all insect-specific toxin of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus
Applied Entomology and Zoology 34 (3), 279-283
Abstract: A recombinant of the Heliothis/Helicoverpa single-enveloped nucleopolyhedrosis virus (RcHzSNPV), carrying a gene encoding an insect-specific toxin from the scorpion, Leiurus quinquestriatus herbraeus, significantly increased the rapidity of kill and reduced feeding by larvae of Heliothis virescens and Helicoverpa zea over that of its parental, wild-type strain (WtHzSNPV). The RcHzSNPV at 1.0 occlusion bodies/mm² killed or paralyzed H. virescens and H. zea larvae ca. 1.5-fold and 1.7-fold quicker, respectively, than the WtHzSNPV strain. Larvae not exposed to virus produced 3- to 5-fold more frass than larvae exposed to RcHzSNPV, and ca. 2- to 3-fold more frass than larvae exposed to WtHzSNPV. Increasing the rapidity of kill and reducing larval feeding are attributes that enhance the use of recombinant baculoviruses as potential biorational pesticides.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
genetical engin./transgenic plants

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Helicoverpa zea
	Heliothis virescens
Helicoverpa zea single nucleopolyhedrovirus (entomopathogen)	Helicoverpa zea
Helicoverpa zea single nucleopolyhedrovirus (entomopathogen)	Heliothis virescens