DEVELOPMENT OF A LONG-LASTING CODLING MOTH GRANULOSIS VIRUS FORMULATION

BROAD-SPECTRUM CHEMICAL INSECTICIDES ARE USED EXTENSIVELY TO CONTROL CROP PESTS IN AGRICULTURE. THROUGH EFFECTIVE, THESE INSECTICIDES CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. MICROBIAL INSECTICIDES (MICROORGANISMS OR THEIR BYPRODUCTS) SHOW PROMISE AS SAFE, SPECIES-SPECIFIC, NARROW-SPECTRUM INSECTICIDES; HOWEVER, FEW MICROBIAL INSECTICIDE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN COMMERCIALIZED. SPECIFICALLY, AN EFFICIENT, ECONOMICAL NARROW-SPECTRUM INSECTICIDE IS NEEDED FOR THE CODLING MOTH, A MAJOR ORCHARD PEST. OVER $10 MILLION IS EXPENDED ANNUALLYIN THE U.S. FOR CHEMICAL CONTROL OF THIS MOTH. A SPECIES-SPECIFIC INSECTICIDE WOULD CONTROL THIS PEST, WOULD PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT, AND WOULD SPARE THE BENEFICIAL PARASITES AND PREDATORS THAT ARE OFTEN KILLED BY BROAD-SPECTRUM INSECTICIDES. CODLING MOTH GRANULOSIS VIRUS (CMGV) HAS BEEN SHOWN IN STUDIES TO BE AN EFFECTIVE NARROW-SPECTRUM INSECTICIDE AGAINST CODLING MOTH LARVAE. HOWEVER, ITS DEMONSTRATED 1-WEEK EFFECTIVENESS RENDERS IT UNFEASIBLE FOR USE DURING THE 6- TO 8-WEEK EGG-HATCHING PERIOD WHEN THE MOTH LARVAC ARE VULNERABLE TO CMGV. WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE THE USE OF OUR CONTROLLED-RELEASE TECHNOLOGIES TO FORMULATE LONGER-LASTING CMGV FORMULATIONS. USING NOVEL COATING TECHNIQUES, WE WILL ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP CMGV FORMULATIONS THAT PROTECT THE VIRUS DURING STORAGE AND FIELD APPLICATION AND THAT RELEASE IT WHEN INGESTED BY CODLING MOTH LARVAE.