Pest Management Science (2012) 68, 324-329

Andrea J. Bixby-Brosi and Daniel A. Potter (2012)
Can a chitin-synthesis-inhibiting turfgrass fungicide enhance black cutworm susceptibility to a baculovirus?
Pest Management Science 68 (3), 324-329
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Developmental resistance, i.e. reduced virulence and speed of kill of late instars, is a limiting factor in the use of baculoviruses for caterpillar control. Agrotis ipsilon multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgipMNPV) is highly infective to young black cutworms, Agrotis ipsilon, but too slow-acting against late instars for effective curative control on golf courses or sports fields. Chitin-synthesis-inhibiting fungicides containing the active ingredient polyoxin-d are used to control fungal diseases in turfgrass, and similar compounds have been shown in the laboratory to synergize baculoviruses by disrupting peritrophic membrane function. This study tested whether applying the virus together with such a fungicide can synergize AgipMNPV activity against A. ipsilon in turfgrass.
RESULTS: The addition of a chitin synthesis inhibitor failed to increase AgipMNPV infectivity to A. ipsilon in the field. Rather, delayed and slightly reduced mortality from viral infection was seen when larvae fed on fungicide/virus-treated grasses as opposed to virus-only treatments. Choice tests revealed the fungicide residues to be a mild feeding deterrent.
CONCLUSION: Because polyoxin-d does not deactivate AgipMNPV, the two substances are compatible. However, combination applications of polyoxin-d and Agip MNPV on turfgrass might interfere with larval ingestion of a lethal virus dose, resulting in prolonged larval feeding in the field.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Agrotis ipsilon	Grasses/turf/rangeland
Alphabaculovirus agipsilonis (entomopathogen)	Agrotis ipsilon	Grasses/turf/rangeland