Mass Production of Nucleopolyhedrovirus of the Teak Defoliator, Hyblaea puera Cramer Using Host Population in Teak Plantations

The nucleopolyhedrovirus of the teak defoliator, Hyblaea puera Cramer (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae) (HpNPV) is a potential biocontrol agent of the pest. This paper describes a method to mass multiply HpNPV in situ in the field population of H. puera. The method is based on application of the virus suspension on young teak plantation infested with H. puera. An average yield of 4.8816 x 10& Polyhedral Occlusion Bodies (POBs) per fifth instar larva was obtained with this method. The advantage of this method of HpNPV production is that it is less expensive as it does not depend on host larval culture maintained in the laboratory.