In vitro production of Helicoverpa armigera single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus

Naturally occurring insect viruses are a promising means of intentionally causing disease in insects but they do not compete successfully with synthetic chemicals in the commercial marketplace. Furthermore, their use for pest control is still restricted. One factor preventing the development of baculoviruses as effective biopesticides is concern over the production issue. In vitro instability during propagation of these viruses in suspension cells is the major limitation to the in vitro production ofbaculoviruses in cell cultures. In this study, an isolated baculovirus (HaSNPV) was cultivated using serial passaging in a suspension cell culture. The results show a reduction in the occlusion body production during six passages, due to the passage effect. However the purification of an HaSNPV clone suggested better stability. A simple method used in this work for the serial passaging of this virus is discussed.

Trichogramma canariensis (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) a parasitoid of eggs of the twinspot moth Chrysodeixis chalcites (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Canary Islands

A new species of Trichogramma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) parasitizing eggs of the golden twin-spot moth (or tomato looper) Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on banana crops in the Canary Islands, Spain, is described as Trichogramma canariensis del Pino & Polaszek, sp.n. The new species is closely related to T. brassicae Bezdenko. Limited aspects of morphology, coupled with ITS2 and COI sequences and reproductive data are presented to distinguish T. canariensis sp.n. from T. brassicae.