Viruses Could lie Key to Natural Insect Control
Most people associate viruses
with plagues. Insect virologists,
however, are working on the
concept that viruses may be used
to benefit man—to biologically
control an insect pest.
Some 400 different viruses have
been isolated from insects-and
mites. Among those showing
particular promise in lessening
dependence upon chemical in
• Corn Seed Treatment
• Special Price on Baymix
Cattle Wormers
g Shovels, forks, rakes, hoes
/
• Rohrer's Garden Seeds
AARON S. GROFF
Farm & Dairy Store
R D. !, Ephrata, Pa. 17542 (Hinkletown) Phone 254-0744
Store Hours 7 A.M. to!) P.M.
Closed Tues. & Sat. at S::{JI.P.IVI.
MALORAN.
X J Xl
' -4
Right in line withyour needs today
fora combinationof herbicides.
>
K
-'*■ "V
Malqran® for soybeans controls most weeds. That's why
it fits so well in a tank-mix combination with Lasso® herbicide.
Besides velVetleaf, Maloran gives effective control otaaartweed, lambs
quarters, ragweed, pigweed and others. Real problems in your^eans.
~ ‘ < Maloran also helps Lasso with grass control. On grasses lie giant, green
and yellow foxtail, fall panicum, barnyardgrass and other annual grasses.
And since you’re handling more acres today, with probably no more help,
this is the kind of control you need., ‘ : •
There’s more information you’ll want and should have about Maloran'
Lasso. So you’ll know how it will fit your soils, weed and grass infestations,
and your farming practices. Talk to your supplier. ,
Agricultural Division, CIBA'GEIGY Corporation, Ardsley, N.Y. 10502..
secticides is the Heliothis
nucleopoly-hedrbsis virus
(NPV), now* being used against
the cotton bollworm or tobacco
budworm on cotton.
Natural epidemics which
completely wipe out populations
of some insects annually attest to
the effectiveness of insect
viruses.' Unfortunately, in such
cases, “natural” control often
New for soybeans.
comes after the damage has been
done. By spraying plants with a
viral insecticide while cater
pillars are still young, extensive
crop damage could be prevented.
A recent experimental finding
that may advance the use of viral
insecticides was made by the
USDA’s Agricultural Research
Service entomologists Carlo M.
Ignoffo, Frank D. Parker, Robert
E. Pinnell, and Donald L.
Hostetter, in cooperation with the
Missouri Agricultural Ex
periment Statibh! Columbia, and
Orlin P. Boening of the In
ternationa 1 Minerals and
Chemical Corporation.
They found "that' activated
charcoal protects Heliothis NPV
against sunlight when sprays
containing the virus are used to
control corn ear Worm.
Normally, one-half of the
Heliothis NPV, unprotected from
sunlight, is inactivated in about 1
day. Addition of activated carbon
to the spray application extended
the half-life of-the virus on sweet
com silks in the field to about 3
days. The spray material
suspended in water, was applied
- at the rate of 17 gallons per acre.
This amount contained 1 pound of
carbon and 150 grams of a
commercial virus preparation.
On cotton foliage, activated
- \
v .ri
carbon extended the half-life to
about 5 days.
The corn earworm, also known
as tomato fruitworm and
bollworm, is a major pest of
cotton as well as com. The
Heliothis NPV was granted the
status of temporary exemption
from a requirement of a
tolerance for residues in and on
cotton seed. This was the first
time an exemption was granted
for a viral insecticide.
The virus has been fed to many
different insects, tested on other
invertebrates and vetebrates
including man, and repeatedly
applied in tests to many different
crops without any reported ill
effects to users, wildlife,
beneficial insects, or plants. It
was found to replicate only in
species of Heliothis larvae.
Further study would be needed
before the pesticide could be
registered for use on com.
Within the past 10 years, five
different viruses have been
produced by American and
foreign commercial firms and
made available for experimental
control of insect pests. All are of
the nucleopolyhedrosis type, so
called because they replicate in
the nucleus of infected cells and
because they contain virions
embedded in a polyhedral-shaped
V '
CIBA-GEIGY
Lasso* is a trademark of Monsanto Company,
Lanccjs*‘jr Farming,’ Saturday. Aorif2B"i973— -9
protein matrix or inclusion body .
Virions are particles that contain*
nucleic acid which in turn in
duces viral diseases.
Viral diseases have been found
in all major orders of insects.
Some 83 percent of the viruses
isolated have come from
caterpillars of moyhs and but
terflies, perhaps because many
economic pests are in that group
Caterpillars feed on plants
where viruses are present and
consequently ingest the viral
inclusion bodies, which dissolve
in their stomachs. Seconds later,
the virons, or infective units are
released. These pass through the
gut wall of the caterpillar and
infect the nuclei of susceptible
cells until the caterpillar even
tually dies.
Caterpillars must be reared
and infected with the virus to
produce the biological insectide,
because viruses can only be
grown on living systems. Im
provement in the production
technology is needed for further
development of insect viruses
into practical, effective, safe,
specific, and biodegradable in
secticides.
2 Promoted
At Weavers
Glenn E. Esbenshade, of 56
Homestead Drive in Lancaster,
and Dwane L. Hostetter.Jßoute 1,
New Holland, have been named
to the newly created positions of
district sales supervisors at
Victor F. Weaver, Inc.
Esbenshade, a 5 year veteran
of the Weaver sales force will
supervise the sales efforts for
Weaver’s Prepared Foods in the
New York, Ohio, and Western
Pennsylvania areas.
Hostetter, who joined Weaver
in 1968 will be responsible for
directing the Weaver Sales
program in the New England and
Eastern Pennsylvania area.
* g
'l-4 t \
BABCOCK
Was and Still
is No. 1
Id Place Winner
Pennsylvania
Random Sample
Egg Laying Test
25c more income over
closest competitor.
For more detailed
figures contact
BABCOCK
FARMS, HK.
Telephone (717)626-8257
Telephone (717) 626-8561
r