Environmental Entomology (1989) 18, 177-183

C.M. Ignoffo, W.C. Rice and A.H. McIntosh (1989)
Inactivation of nonoccluded and occluded baculoviruses and baculovirus-DNA exposed to simulated sunlight
Environmental Entomology 18 (1), 177-183
Abstract: Natural sunlight is the most significant environmental factor affecting the stability of microbial insecticides formulated from occluded entomopathogenic viruses. Theoretically the crystalline protein matrix that occludes and surrounds each virion containing DNA should provide some protection against inactivation by sunlight-UV. No significant differences, however, were obtained in either the extent or rate of inactivation when non-occluded, polyhedra derived virions (PDV) and tissue culture derived virions (TCNOV), or virions occluded in polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIBOV) of the singly-enveloped nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Heliothis species (HzSNPV) were exposed to a simulated sunlight-UV source (SUV). The residual half-life of PDV, TCNOV, and PIBOV, as measured by bioassay against susceptible larvae of Heliothis virescens, was 6.3, 6:.3, and 5.8 h, respectively. There was smearing of the EcoRI restriction enzyme (REN) patterns and an increase in lower molecular-weight species after exposure to SUV of both naked viral DNA and DNA of virions occluded in polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB). Production of higher molecular-weight species of DNA, however, only was detected in DNA from PIBOV exposed to SUV. Changes in REN patterns of viral DNA were never detected with shielded-exposed HzSNPV.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Arthur H. McIntosh

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
non-target effects/fate in environm.
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

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