Environmental Entomology (1993) 22, 425-431
James R. Fuxa and Arthur R. Richter (1993)
Lack of vertical transmission in Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) nuclear polyhedrosis virus, a pathogen not indigenous to Louisiana
Environmental Entomology 22 (2), 425-431
Abstract: Baseline data were collected on the natural occurrence of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) in Louisiana and Texas in preparation for future attempts at introduction and establishment of the virus. The virus was not detected in A. gemmatalis larvae collected from 12 sites in Louisiana or 2 sites in Texas (total n = 3,391) on numerous sampling dates in 1989 and 1990. The only exception was a possible, light infection in one insect collected at a site that had been sprayed with A. gemmatalis nuclear polyhedrosis virus during 1979-I981. The virus was not detected in any of 24 soil samples collected from two sites in Louisiana in spite of detection of as few as 15.9 polyhedral inclusion bodies per g of soil in positive controls. Attempts were made in the laboratory to determine whether the viral infections could persist in adults and be transmitted to the progeny. The A. gemmatalis nuclear polyhedrosis virus was not so transmitted, even though Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) adults, the positive control, transmitted their homologous nuclear polyhedrosis virus to 14.3% of their progeny. It is hypothesized that a lack of vertical transmission is the reason that the A. gemmatalis nuclear polyhedrosis virus apparently is not indigenous to the United States.
(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:
transmission/dispersal
rearing/culturing/mass production
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anticarsia gemmatalis | ||||
| Alphabaculovirus angemmatalis (entomopathogen) | Anticarsia gemmatalis |
