The addition of 1% (wt:vol) aqueous extracts of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) (Malvales: Malvaceae), coffee (Coffea arabica L.) (Gentianales: Rubiaceae), and green and black tea (Camellia sinensis L.) (Ericales: Theaceae) provided excellent UV radiation protection for the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), nucleopolyhedrovirus under laboratory conditions. Aqueous extracts of coffee, green tea, and black tea at 0.5% provided 85-100% UV protection, whereas cocoa provided 50% UV protection. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a component of green tea, and caffeine, a component of tea and coffee, also were tested as UV protectants. Both compounds were ineffective when tested alone. When EGCG and caffeine were combined, UV protection increased in a synergistic manner, but <35% of the original virus activity was maintained. This study demonstrated that coffee was comparable to green tea and black tea as a UV protectant. Further studies should be conducted to optimize their use in biopesticide formulations.

Five insect growth regulators (IGR's) were tested to increase the susceptibility of the cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to its homologous nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpliMNPV). Spodoptera littoralis MNPV was tested alone or in combination with IGR's at LC 10 level against second instar larvae of the pest. An increased infection rate was detected in the mixture containing SpliMNPV+IGRs in the case of using Chlorfluazuron, Flufenoxuron, Triflumuron, Hexaflumuron or Teflubenzuron at 10%. The LC 50 value for the virus alone treatment was 1x10 7 PIB ' s reduced to 4.3x10 6 , 9.9x10 4 , 4.9x10 4 , 3.1x10 5 and 1.69x10 6 PIB ' s, with the five IGR's, respectively.