Effect of the interaction between Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus and Epinotia aporema granulovirus, on A. gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae

Publication date: December 2015 Source:Biological Control, Volume 91 Author(s): Marina E. Biedma, Ricardo Salvador, M. Leticia Ferrelli, Alicia Sciocco-Cap, Víctor Romanowski The bean shoot borer Epinotia aporema Wals. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and the velvet bean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are key pests of soybean and other legume crops in South America. They are often found simultaneously in certain regions. A. gemmatalis nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) is widely used to control A. gemmatalis. More recently, E. aporema granulovirus (EpapGV) has been characterized and evaluated as a bioinsecticide for E. aporema. In order to increase its potential use and to design optimized strategies for the management of lepidopteran pests, we evaluated the interaction between EpapGV and AgMNPV on third instar A. gemmatalis larvae. Larvae fed with 50AgMNPVOBs/larva showed an increase in the mortality rates (from 42% to 81%) and a decrease in the median survival time (from 7.7days to 5.7days) when these OBs were mixed with 6000EpapGVOBs/larva. When 300AgMNPVOBs/larva were used alone or in combination with EpapGV OBs no changes in biological parameters were observed. No mortality was detected in A. gemmatalis larvae treated with EpapGV alone. In larvae fed with the viral mixtures, only AgMNPV DNA was detected by PCR. A. gemmatalis peritrophic membranes (PMs) examined by SDS–PAGE and scanning electron microscopy showed signs of damage. ...

Source: Biological Control - August 17, 2015 Category: Biology Source Type: research