Transovarial transmission of nucleopolyhedrovirus in blackinch looper caterpillar, Hyposidra talaca (Walk.) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Soma Dasgupta; Dr. Sunil Kumar Pathak; Prof. Rakesh Kumar Bhola

Volume : V, Issue : VIII, August - 2016

Transovarial transmission of nucleopolyhedrovirus in blackinch looper caterpillar, Hyposidra talaca (Walk.) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Soma Dasgupta, Dr. Sunil Kumar Pathak, Prof. Rakesh Kumar Bhola

Abstract :

 Hyposidra talaca is one of the main pests of north–eastern tea plantation of India. Hyposidra talaca nucleopolyhedroviruses (HytaNPV) plays a key role to control the pest outburst. Here the investigation of transovarial transmission of HytaNPV in the blach–inch tea looper caterpillar, H. talaca was carried out. The egg masses were collected from a tea garden of Dooars region of India. The larvae reared from these eggs showed typical signs of nucleopolyhedrovirus infection. The phase contrast microscopic view indicated the HytaNPV caused mortality of larvae with an accumulation of large number of polyhedral occlusion bodies. Later the polyhedrin gene amplified from larvae proved HytaNPV infection and presented the information of vertical transmission of virus from parent to offspring (transovarial transmission). HytaNPV can remain in larval population of H. talaca and be transmitted to the next generation. Hence, HytaNPV can be advantageous for longstanding control of H. talaca. This study reflects the important aspects of HytaNPV and proved its usefulness in biological control programme.