Biological Characteristics of Experimental Genotype Mixtures of Cydia Pomonella Granulovirus (CpGV): Ability to Control Susceptible and Resistant Pest Populations.
Benoit Graillot: LGEI, Ecole des Mines d'Alès, Institut Mines-Telecom et Université de Montpellier Sud de France, 6 Avenue de Clavières, 30319 Alès, France. graillot.benoit@gmail.com.
Sandrine Bayle: LGEI, Ecole des Mines d'Alès, Institut Mines-Telecom et Université de Montpellier Sud de France, 6 Avenue de Clavières, 30319 Alès, France. sandrine.bayle@mines-ales.fr.
Christine Blachere-Lopez: LGEI, Ecole des Mines d'Alès, Institut Mines-Telecom et Université de Montpellier Sud de France, 6 Avenue de Clavières, 30319 Alès, France. christine.blachere-lopez@mines-ales.fr.
Miguel Lopez-Ferber: LGEI, Ecole des Mines d'Alès, Institut Mines-Telecom et Université de Montpellier Sud de France, 6 Avenue de Clavières, 30319 Alès, France. miguel.lopez-ferber@mines-ales.fr.
The detection of resistance in codling moth (Cydia pomonella) populations against the Mexican isolate of its granulovirus (CpGV-M), raised questions on the sustainability of the use of this biological insecticide. In resistant host cells, CpGV-M is not able to complete its replication cycle because replication is blocked at an early step. Virus isolates able to overcome this resistance have been characterized-among them, the CpGV-R5 isolate. In mixed infections on resistant insects, both CpGV-M and CpGV-R5 viruses replicate, while CpGV-M alone does not induce mortality. Genetically heterogeneous virus populations, containing 50% of each CpGV-M and CpGV-R5 appear to control resistant host populations as well as CpGV-R5 alone at the same final concentration, even if the concentration of CpGV-R5 is only half in the former. The use of mixed genotype virus preparations instead of genotypically homogeneous populations may constitute a better approach than traditional methods for the development of baculovirus-based biological insecticides.
