Potential of betabaculoviruses to control the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)

Abstract

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick 1917) (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae) is a devastating pest, causing losses of up to 100%. An interesting tool for its control is the use of the insect specific viruses of Baculoviridae family. Despite its high potential, its use on T. absoluta larvae has been poorly studied. In this work, Colombian granuloviruses VG013 and VG003 isolated from T. absoluta and Tecia solanivora (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae) larvae sampled in tomato and potato crops, respectively, were morphologically, biologically and molecularly characterized. Occlusion bodies showed ovoid shape containing one nucleocapsid. Restriction endonuclease analysis revealed a pattern similar to Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus and bioinformatics studies showed that both isolates are variants of that baculovirus specie. Similar mean lethal concentrations (LC50) on T. absoluta larvae were estimated for both viruses, although VG013 exhibited shorter mean time to death than VG003. The latter reached a higher OBs yield in comparison with VG013. These results demonstrated an interesting potential of evaluated betabaculoviruses to control T. absoluta populations and pointed key features to its use under field conditions.

Effects of a Covert Infection with Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus in Insect Populations of Phthorimaea operculella

“…The potato discs were kept at 26 °C, 60% RH, and under a 16/8 h light/dark regime. After six days, the inoculated larvae showed typical baculovirus infection symptoms, such as loss of mobility, decreased feeding rate and change in color from green to bright white, followed by sluggishness and flaccidity [39,40,41,42]. From this point, the potato discs were examined daily, and dead larvae were collected.…”

The potential of novel African isolates of Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus for the control of Tuta absoluta

“…It was used for testing the biological activity and for full range bioassays. The T. absoluta colony was kept on tomato plants as previously described (Gómez Valderrama et al., ). Briefly, T. absoluta adults were kept in cages with tomato plants in a rearing room with 25 ± 3°C constant temperature and a photoperiod of 18:6 hr (light:dark).…”

“…Several biological control agents have been reported as candidates for integrated pest management programs: in addition to the use of parasitoids, entomopathogenic microbial agents such as fungi, bacteria and viruses, can be applied as control methods (Ben Khedher et al., ; Biondi, Desneux, Amiens‐Desneux, Siscaro, & Zappala, ; Chailleux, Biondi, Han, Tabone, & Desneux, ; Contreras et al., ; Gómez Valderrama et al., ; Pires et al., ). Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus (PhopGV) infects larvae of both T. absoluta and P. operculella and is hence considered as a potential agent for biological control of both pest insects (Gómez Valderrama et al., ; Mascarin et al., ). PhopGV has already been used as a biocontrol agent of potato tuber moth in several countries of Latin America and Yemen (Haase, Sciocco‐Cap, & Romanowski, 2015; Kroschel, Kaack, Fritsch, & Huber, 1996).…”

“…PhopGV has already been used as a biocontrol agent of potato tuber moth in several countries of Latin America and Yemen (Haase, Sciocco‐Cap, & Romanowski, 2015; Kroschel, Kaack, Fritsch, & Huber, 1996). Recently, novel Colombian PhopGV isolates originating from T. absoluta and Tecia solanivora larvae were reported to cause high mortality of larvae of the tomato leaf miner (Gómez Valderrama et al., ; Mascarin et al., ).…”

“…Despite the limited records of the potential use of PhopGV for control of T. absoluta, the virus has been reported to infect T. absoluta, to delay larval growth and to inhibit pupation (Gómez Valderrama et al., ; Mascarin et al., ). Here, we present the identification of five African PhopGV isolates originating from infected P. operculella larvae Tunisia (Tns16, Tu1.11 and Tu2.11), Yemen (Ym14) and Kenya (Ken13).…”