The First Study on Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus Histopathological and Morphological Effects on the Strawberry Pest, Pentodon Algerinum (coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

In Egypt, strawberry is an economically important crop that has recently been destroyed by Pentodon algerinum, a worldwide polyphagous destructive insect pest. This study aimed to distinguish, for the first time, the histopathological and morphological effects of Spodoptera littoralis Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SpliNPV) and Pentodon algerinum Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (PNPV) on Pentodon algerinum third instar larvae to confirm their success as safe alternative control agents against this pest. The results showed that PNPV and SpliNPV affected Pentodon larvae by the same effects in causing the following: integument deformation and rupture; the destruction of the hypodermal layer resulting in the inhibition of the process of molting into the pupa stage, reducing pest survival; larva leg corrosion, which prevents its spreading; the rupture of fat bodies, which leads to the loss of stored energetic materials; the distortion of muscle sarcolemma and fibers resulting in weakness and softness; the tracheal cuticular layer destruction, which inhibits breathing; midgut rupture with cells detaching from each other; irregular cytoplasm distribution; the loss of the columnar shape of cells; the appearance of vacuoles between cells, which results in their inability to feed or to digest; the swelling, softness, liquefaction, and, lastly, death of the larva.

Detection of pebrine disease and Bombyx mori Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (BmNPV) in silkworm moths (Bombyx mori. L)

Silkworm is an insect that can produce silk fiber at any step of life, one of them in the moth phase. There are still not many researchers who have researched pebrine and BmNPV disease detection in the moth phase. This research purpose was to find out pebrine and BmNPV disease detection on moth phase. This research was conducted from January 2021 to March 2021 with samples obtained from the Center for Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership, South Sulawesi in Bili-Bili, Gowa district. The data processing was done at the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar. Data analysis was done using the descriptive analysis method by looking at the primer amplification of Pebrine disease and BmNPV in the silkworm moth phase. The detection of pebrine disease ad BmNPV from the two primers showed that from 12 moths studied, none of the moths detected either pebrine disease or BmNPV disease.

Phenotypic diversity of BmNPV isolated from different geographical locations of south India

Viral diseases take the lives of n number of silkworms each year resulting in 30-40% of average crop loss. Grasserie is one of the deadly diseases caused by NPV (Nuclear Polyhedrosis virus) for silkworm. BmNPV was observed throughout the year with increased severity in the summer and autumn crops. During the World War II, accidentally effective pest’s suppression was observed by the introduction of baculovirus into the environment. Morphological parameters of occlusion bodies of BmNPV from different strains were examined to validate detailed structure of these viruses. This examination mainly focused on light microscopic and electron microscopic study. Results in intelligible images of HRH, HSR, KNK, MSI and VKK BmNPV isolates under various magnifications were observed. The diameter of completely formed OBs of HRH, HSR, KNK, MSI, VKK was found to be 1.2 to 2.8 μm, 1.4 to 3.2 μm, 0.8 to 2.6 μm and 1.1 to 2.9 μm, 1.1 to 3.4 μm. Granulated OBs size ranges from 0.5 to 2.4μm. The diameter of polyhedra ranges about 0.6–1.6μm. Thus, uncovering these aspects may help to spell out indetail phenotypic diversity of BmNPV isolates from south India.

Pathogenicity Detection and Genome Analysis of Two Different Geographic Strains of BmNPV

The pathogenicity of different concentrations of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus- Zhenjiang strain (BmNPV ZJ) and Yunnan strain (BmNPV YN) was assessed in Baiyu larvae. The structures of the two viral strains were observed by negative-staining electron microscopy, and their proliferation was examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The genomic sequences of these two viruses were obtained to investigate the differences in their pathogenicity. The lethal concentration 50 (LC50) of BmNPV ZJ against Baiyu larvae was higher than that of BmNPV YN, indicating a relatively more robust pathogenicity in BmNPV YN. Electron microscopic images showed that the edges of BmNPV YN were clearer than those of BmNPV ZJ. The qPCR analysis demonstrated significantly higher relative expressions of immediately early 1 gene (ie-1), p143, vp39, and polyhedrin genes (polh) in BmNPV ZJ than in BmNPV YN at 12–96 h. The complete genomes of BmNPV ZJ and BmNPV YN were, respectively, 135,895 bp and 143,180 bp long, with 141 and 145 coding sequences and 40.93% and 39.71% GC content. Considering the BmNPV ZJ genome as a reference, 893 SNP loci and 132 InDel mutations were observed in the BmNPV YN genome, resulting in 106 differential gene sequences. Among these differential genes, 76 (including 22 hub genes and 35 non-hub genes) possessed amino acid mutations. Thirty genes may have been related to viral genome replication and transcription and five genes may have been associated with the viral oral infection. These results can help in understanding the mechanisms of pathogenicity of different strains of BmNPV in silkworms.

Effect of Biopesticides and Pheromone Traps on Major Insect-Pests and Their Natural Enemies of Cabbage

Aims: This study is aimed to know the effect of biopesticides on insect pests, predators and yield of cabbage. Study Design: The experiment was laid out at a randomized complete block design with four replications. Place and Duration of Study: Central farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh during the period from October 2018 to March 2019. Methodology: The experiment was conducted with six treatments viz. T1= Spinosad @25 ml/ha at 7 days interval , T2= SNPV (Spodoptera litura nuclear polyhedrosis virus) @ 2.47/ha at 7days interval, T3= Spodolure trap @ 1/6 plot at 14 days interval, T4= Spodolure trap + Spinosad spray, T5= Spodolure trap + SNPV spray and T6= untreated control. Results: The lowest infested leaves per five plants by flea beetle (0.33), tobacco cutworm (0.33), semi- looper (0.33), diamondback moth (1.33), aphid (7.50), was found in treatment (Spodolure trap + Spinosad).The population of natural enemies per plot was also recorded and highest population of lady bird beetle (8.00) and spider (8.60) was also observed from Spodolure trap + Spinosad treatment as compared to untreated control. The highest percentage of healthy plants (91.67), maximum weight of healthy cabbge head plant-1 (1.20 kg), marketable cabbage head plot-1 (19.48 kg) and marketable yield of healthy cabbage head (45.08 t ha-1) was found with Spodolure trap + Spinosad treatment. Conclusion: It is concluded that Spodolure trap in combination with Spinosad spray may be effective practice for the management of cabbage insect pests.

Pengendalian Ramah Lingkungan Hama Ulat Grayak (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) pada Tanaman Kedelai

Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) atau dikenal dengan ulat grayak merupakan hama penting pada tanaman kedelai dan beberapa jenis tanaman penting di Indonesia. Serangan S. litura dapat mengakibatkan kerusakan, bahkan kehilangan hasil pada tanaman kedelai. Gejala serangan berupa daun berlubang karena larva memakan jaringan daun hingga menyisakan epidermis dan tulang daun. Hama ini dilaporkan menyerang tanaman kedelai di sentra-sentra produksi di Indonesia yaitu Aceh, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Sulawesi Selatan dan dan Sulawesi Tengah. Upaya pengendalian hama ulat grayak yang dilakukan petani adalah menggunakan pestisida sintetik, namun karena dampak negatif penggunaannya terhadap kesehatan manusia dan keseimbangan ekosistem alam, maka perlu adanya alternatif pengendalian yang dampak negatifnya rendah terhadap lingkungan. Beberapa teknologi pengendalian yang telah diteliti dan diketahui efektifitasnya antara lain; penggunaan Spodoptera litura nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SlNPV) (50-100%), cendawan entomopatogen Beauvaria bassiana (51-93%), Metarhizium anisopliae (93-100%), Nomuraea rileyi dan Lecanicillium lecanii (80-85%), Parasitoid (13-56%), predator Forficula auricularia (96%), nematoda entomopatogen Steinernematidae (30-51%), pestisida nabati (>30%), tanaman perangkap dan varietas tahan Aplikasi yang tepat akan mendukung perkembangbiakan spesies tersebut di alam sehingga akan terjadi siklus rantai makanan yang seimbang dan berkelanjutan. Komponen pengendalian ini dapat dimasukkan dalam pengendalian terpadu, sehingga serangan S. litura dapat ditekan, tanaman berproduksi optimal, keseimbangan ekosistem dapat dipertahankan, residu pestisida dapat diturunkan dan sistem pertanian berkelanjutan tercapai.