Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV), A Potential Biopesticide: A Review

The indiscriminate use of pesticides for the last 40 years has almost eliminated natural enemies from many crop eco-systems. This scenario has led many countries to consider the potential of biological control as a component of pest management. At present, the world market for microbial pesticides is in excess of US $ 125 million per annum which is still less than 1 percent of the total global market for agrochemical crop protection of $ 20-25 billion. The viruses belonging to 11 families which are pathogenic to insects. Baculoviruses are associated with the orders of Lepidoptera Hymenoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Crustacea and mites (The virions are rod-shaped, 40-70 nm X 250-400 nm, comprising a lipoprotein envelope around a protein capsid containing DNA-protein core. Baculoviruses are one of the best alternative to chemical pesticides asthey are environment friendly. NPV is known for high epizootic levels and is naturally occurring, self-perpetuating, safe to natural enemies due to host specificity and environmental friendly, because of its obligate nature and host specificity. Nuclear polyhedrosis viruses recorded in India includes Helicoverpa armigera, S. litura, S. exigua, Amsacta moorei, Agrotis ipsilon, A. segetum, Anadividia peponis, Trichoplusia ni, Thysanoplusia orichalcea, Adisura atkinsoni, Plutella xylostella, Corcyra cephalonica, Mythimna separata and Phthorimaea operculella.