Pest Management Science (2014) 70, 798-804

Alexandra Bernal, Oihane Simón, Trevor Williams and Primitivo Caballero (2014)
Stage-specific insecticidal characteristics of a nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate from Chrysodeixis chalcites enhanced by optical brighteners
Pest Management Science 70 (5), 798-804
Abstract:
Background
Chrysodeixis chalcites is a major noctuid pest of banana crops in the Canary Islands. The stage-specific susceptibility of this pest to C. chalcites single nucleopolyhedrovirus (ChchSNPV-TF1) was determined, as well as the effect of selected optical brighteners as enhancers of primary infection.
Results
Susceptibility to ChchSNPV-TF1 occlusion bodies (OBs) decreased as larval stage increased; second instars (L₂) were 10 000-fold more susceptible than sixth instars (L₆). Virus speed of kill was 42 h faster in L₂ than in L₆. OB production increased in late instars; L₆ larvae produced 23-fold more OBs than L₄. Addition of 10 mg mL⁻¹ Tinopal enhanced OB pathogenicity by 4.43- to 397-fold depending on instar, whereas 10 µL mL⁻¹ Leucophor resulted in potentiation of OB pathogenicity from 1.46- to 143-fold. Mean time to death decreased by 14 to 26 h when larvae consumed OBs in mixtures with 10 mg mL⁻¹ Tinopal, or 10 µL mL⁻¹ Leucophor, although in these treatments OB yields were reduced by up to 8.5-fold (Tinopal) or up to 3.8-fold (Leucophor).
Conclusion
These results have clear applications for the use of ChchSNPV-TF1 as a biological insecticide in control programs against C. chalcites in the Canary Islands.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Primitivo Caballero, Trevor Williams, Oihane Simón

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Chrysodeixis chalcites	Banana/plantain (Musa)	Spain (Canary Is.)
Alphabaculovirus chrychalcites (entomopathogen)	Chrysodeixis chalcites