• They are self-perpetuating and keep the pest population under check.
• No secondary pest outbreaks.
• No pesticide residues.
• No pre-harvest interval is required.
11.5.4 Disadvantages of Viral Biopesticides
• It can be used for the management of multiple pests as that of chemical pesticides.
• A long period of lethal infection is required for successful control of target pests.
• Viruses get inactivated by environmental factors like ultraviolet light, extreme
temperature, etc.
11.6 Fungi as Biopesticides
Fungi-based biopesticides are most versatile since it has a wide host range to the field
and stored pests. They are safe and highly specific. Fungal products are developed
using saprophytic or parasitic fungi, which grows inside an insect's body and feed on
its internal tissues. The most common commercial fungal biopesticides available in
the market are from Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Nomuraea rileyi,
Trichoderma viride, Paecilomyces farinosus and Verticillium lecanii. These fungi
are either obligate or facultative, has symbiotic or antagonestic relationship with
insects for their survival. The pathogenic action of fungi depends on the contact and
subsequent infection to the target pests. Commercial formulations of B. bassiana
andM. anisopliae are effective against aphids, beetles and their grubs, grasshoppers,
leaf and plant hoppers, pod borer, cutworms and other lepidopteran and coleopteran
pests (Table 11.4).
Table 11.3 List of commercially available viral biopesticides
Target pest
Host
Products available
NPV of H. armigera
(HaNPV)
Helicoverpa
zea
H. armigera
Biokill-H, BioVirus-H, Heli-Cide, Heliokill,
Helimar-NPV, Helivax, Jas Viro–H, Helicop,
Heligard, Somstar-Ha
NPV of S. litura
(SlNPV)
Spodoptera
lituraS. exigua
BioVirus-S, Jas Viro–S, Spodo-Cide, Spodopterin,
Somsta-SL
Nuclear polyhedrosis
for Gypsy moth
Gypsy moth
caterpillars
Gypchek virus
Tussock moth NPV
Tussock moth
caterpillars
TM Biocontrol-1
Pine sawfly NPV
Larvae of pine
sawfly
Neochek-S
Granulosis virus for
Codling moth (GV)
Codling moth
caterpillars
Madex, Carpovirusine, CYD-X
(Source: Usta (2013)
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247
• No secondary pest outbreaks.
• No pesticide residues.
• No pre-harvest interval is required.
11.5.4 Disadvantages of Viral Biopesticides
• It can be used for the management of multiple pests as that of chemical pesticides.
• A long period of lethal infection is required for successful control of target pests.
• Viruses get inactivated by environmental factors like ultraviolet light, extreme
temperature, etc.
11.6 Fungi as Biopesticides
Fungi-based biopesticides are most versatile since it has a wide host range to the field
and stored pests. They are safe and highly specific. Fungal products are developed
using saprophytic or parasitic fungi, which grows inside an insect's body and feed on
its internal tissues. The most common commercial fungal biopesticides available in
the market are from Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Nomuraea rileyi,
Trichoderma viride, Paecilomyces farinosus and Verticillium lecanii. These fungi
are either obligate or facultative, has symbiotic or antagonestic relationship with
insects for their survival. The pathogenic action of fungi depends on the contact and
subsequent infection to the target pests. Commercial formulations of B. bassiana
andM. anisopliae are effective against aphids, beetles and their grubs, grasshoppers,
leaf and plant hoppers, pod borer, cutworms and other lepidopteran and coleopteran
pests (Table 11.4).
Table 11.3 List of commercially available viral biopesticides
Target pest
Host
Products available
NPV of H. armigera
(HaNPV)
Helicoverpa
zea
H. armigera
Biokill-H, BioVirus-H, Heli-Cide, Heliokill,
Helimar-NPV, Helivax, Jas Viro–H, Helicop,
Heligard, Somstar-Ha
NPV of S. litura
(SlNPV)
Spodoptera
lituraS. exigua
BioVirus-S, Jas Viro–S, Spodo-Cide, Spodopterin,
Somsta-SL
Nuclear polyhedrosis
for Gypsy moth
Gypsy moth
caterpillars
Gypchek virus
Tussock moth NPV
Tussock moth
caterpillars
TM Biocontrol-1
Pine sawfly NPV
Larvae of pine
sawfly
Neochek-S
Granulosis virus for
Codling moth (GV)
Codling moth
caterpillars
Madex, Carpovirusine, CYD-X
(Source: Usta (2013)
11 Biopesticides for Pest Management
247