CONTROLE BIOLÓGICO DE SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA (J.E. SMITH, 1797) NAS CULTURAS DE SOJA E MILHO

Abstract

The use of biological control in agriculture is of great importance for society, as it proposes a series of pillars for proper and qualitative field management. Part of this control is in the use of baculovirus-based bioinsecticides, which has has a positive side for its specificity and compatibility with natural enemies and safety for the environment and humans. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of two variants of Spodoptera frugiperda Multinucleopolyedrovirus (SfMNPV) using soybean leaves, corn and artificial diet in the control of Spodoptera frugiperda. The SfMNPV-01 variant induced higher mortality on artificial diet (62.56%) compared to soybean leaves (19.66%) and corn (16.02%), the latter without statistical difference between them. The SfMNPV-02 variant, on the other hand, did not result in efficient control in the different food sources, as it did not have efficient action on the pest, due to a series of factors. In artificial diet (33.52%) mortality was even higher than in soybean leaves (7.34%) and corn (6.70%), but it did not surpass the SfMNPV-01 variant.Studies that evaluate the food preference, the amount of food and virus ingested by the caterpillar and the causes of inefficiency of the variant SfMNPV- 02 are necessary to develop new tactics in pest management.