Potential of <I>Agrotis ipsilon</I> Nucleopolyhedrovirus for Suppression of the Black Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Effect of an Optical Brightener on Virus Efficacy

Abstract

Studies were performed in the laboratory, greenhouse and field to assess the potential ofAgrotis ipsilon multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgipMNPV) and a viral enhancing agent, M2R, for suppression of Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel). In laboratory droplet feeding bioassays, AgipMNPV was shown to be highly active against third-instar A. ipsilon. The optical brightener M2R significantly reduced LD 50 estimates by ≈160-fold, but had no direct effect on survival time estimates. In greenhouse trials, spray and bait formulations of AgipMNPV significantly reduced feeding damage to corn seedlings caused by third-instar A. ipsilon. In two sets of replicated field trials, bait formulations of AgipMNPV significantly reduced feeding damage to corn seedlings by third-instar A. ipsilon. However, there were no beneficial effects attributable to the inclusion of M2R in AgipMNPV formulations under greenhouse or field conditions. It seems likely that in an appropriately designed pest management program AgipMNPV could be used to suppress field populations of early and midinstar A. ipsilon. RightsThis article is the copyright property of the Entomological Society of America and may not be used for any commercial or other private purpose without specific written permission of the Entomological Society of America.This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ent_pubs/5BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Potential of Agrotis ipsilonYour use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne's Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/ terms_of_use.Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. ABSTRACT Studies were performed in the laboratory, greenhouse and Þeld to assess the potential of Agrotis ipsilon multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgipMNPV) and a viral enhancing agent, M2R, for suppression of Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel). In laboratory droplet feeding bioassays, AgipMNPV was shown to be highly active against third-instar A. ipsilon. The optical brightener M2R signiÞcantly reduced LD 50 estimates by Ϸ160-fold, but had no direct effect on survival time estimates. In greenhouse trials, spray and bait formulations of AgipMNPV signiÞcantly reduced feeding damage to corn seedlings caused by third-instar A. ipsilon. In two sets of replicated Þeld...

Effects of an optical brightener on the development, body weight and sex ratio ofSpodoptera frugiperda(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

“…Stilbene-derived optical brighteners have been studied principally for their properties as UV protectants and for their synergistic effects with certain baculoviruses (Shapiro, 1992;Shapiro & Robertson, 1992;Tamez-Guerra et al ., 2000;Boughton et al ., 2001). Typically, the concentration of optical brightener used experimentally in field spray applications is between 0.1 and 1% (w/v) (Webb et al , 1994b(Webb et al , , 1996Hamm et al , 1994).…”

Microbial Control of Black Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Turfgrass Using Agrotis ipsilon Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus

“…We found, however, at most only small differences in developmental time and pupal weight of sublethally dosed third and Þfth instars. Boughton et al (2001) estimated median survival times of 4 Ð5 d for third instars of A. ipsilon droplet-fed lethal doses of the Illinois AgipMNPV isolate. Spray or bait formulations of AgipMNPV reduced damage by introduced third instars to corn seedlings in their small-plot greenhouse and Þeld trials.…”

“…Formulating AgipMNPV with a spreader-sticker or the M2R optical brightener provided no added value in our 2004 Þeld trial where high efÞcacy of the virus suspension alone would have obscured any potential beneÞt of the adjuvants. The greatest value of formulating baculoviruses with optical brighteners is to obtain similar levels of pest suppression at lower virus application rates (Shapiro 1995, Boughton et al 2001. Such synergism might have been apparent had we used a lower application rate of virus.…”

Review of Vaccinia Virus and Baculovirus Viability Versus Virucides

“…Optical brighteners, which are stilbene-disulfonic acid derived, have demonstrated improved virus persistence in NPVs by acting as UV protectants (Boughton et al, 2001;Goulson et al, 2003;Li and Otvos, 1999;Martinez et al, 2004). Optical brighteners are commonly used in soaps, detergents and bleaches (Shapiro, 1992).…”

“…Optical brighteners are commonly used in soaps, detergents and bleaches (Shapiro, 1992). The brighteners absorb light in the non-visible UV and violet portion of the spectrum and then re-emit visible light in the blue part of the spectrum (Boughton et al, 2001). Shapiro (1992) studied optical brighteners as UV protectants for formulations of the LdNPV and reported the best protection from the stilbene products with 100% original virus activity remaining after 14 days.…”