Mixture compatibility of ChinNPV baculovirus with herbicides and fungicides used in soybean

Abstract

Chrysodeixis includens Walker, 1858 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), commonly known as soybean looper, is one of the main pests that reduces soybean yield due to its defoliation capacity. Population outbreaks of this pest can occur in the vegetative stage of the crop, together with the occurrence of weeds or in the reproductive stage, at the same time as that of diseases. This often requires the use of pesticides against pests and weeds, or fungi at the same time. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the compatibility of baculovirus ChinNPV with different synthetic chemical herbicides and fungicides used in soybean. Four bioassays were carried out, with or without the addition of ChinNPV to different herbicides and fungicides. The artificial diets were immersed in the solutions of the pesticides and their mixture and supplied to the caterpillars of C. includens, immediately and after one and two hours of mixing. The evaluation was performed by quantifying the number of dead caterpillars. The results showed that the ChinNPV baculovirus is compatible for mixing with all studied herbicides and fungicides, even after two hours of mixing. In all the studied scenarios, baculovirus mixed with chemical pesticides triggered the same mortality as sprayed with baculovirus alone, and values of over 80% mortality of C. includens have always been recorded.