Economics of HpNPV Production Using Field Collected and Laboratory Reared Hyblaea puera (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae)

The economics of mass production of the nucleopolyhedrovirus of the teak defoliator, Hyblaea puera Cramer (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae) (HpNPV) using the laboratory-reared and field-collected (from teak plantations) host larvae was compared. The data were based on 7645 laboratory-reared (LR) larvae and 8925 field-collected (FC) larvae. The virus production was carried out using fifth instar larva inoculated with 1x10⁶ OBs (Viral Occlusion Bodies)/larva. The virus yield/larva in LR and FC larvae was 4.8x10⁸ and 3.6x10⁸ OBs, respectively. The virus productivity ratio in LR and FC larvae was 241 ± 55 and 178 ± 100.85 OBs, respectively. The cost of production of HpNPV per larva was higher in the case of LR (Rs. 0.82/larva) in comparison with FC (Rs.0.72). However, the cost of HpNPV required for spraying in one hectare at the rate of 1.63 x 10¹¹ OBs worked out to be Rs. 279 and Rs. 317 in the case of LR and FC, respectively. A marginal difference in the virus yield was found affecting the cost of the virus produced.