IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO HOST-RANGE OF ANTICARSIA-GEMMATALIS MULTIPLE NUCLEAR POLYHEDROSIS-VIRUS

A clone of the wild type (wt) Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nuclear p olyhedrosis virus AgMNPV, derived from a geographical isolate (Hondrin a, Brazil) and designated AgMNPV-CL4-3A1, was used to determine the ho st range of this virus in six established lepidopteran cell lines: Ant icarsia gemmatalis (BCIRL-AG-AM1), Helicoverpa tea (BCIRL-HZ-AM1), Hel iothis virescens (BCIRL-HV-AM1), Helicoverpa armigera (BCIRL-HA-AM1), Trichoplusia ni (TN-CL1), Bombyx mori (BMN), and a coleopteran cell li ne Anthonomus grandis (BRL-AG-1). In addition, the in vivo host range of this clone was also assayed in larvae of Helicoverpa tea, Heliothis virescens, Trichoplusia ni, and the homologous species Anticarsia gem matalis by probit analysis. On the basis of temporal studies of TCID50 values, BCIRL-HV-AM1 cells gave the highest extracellular virus (ECV) titer (9.7 x 10(6) TCID50/ml) followed by BCIRL-HA-AM1 cells (8.3 x 1 0(5) TCID50/ml) and BCIRL-AG-AM1 cells (3.2 x 10(5) TCID50/ml). In add ition, a low ECV titer of 1.37 x 10(3) TCID50/ml was detected from TN- CL1 cells 96 h postinoculation, while BRL-AG-1, BMN, and BCIRL-HZ-AM1 cells were nonpermissive to AgMNPV CL4-3A1 on the basis of TCID50 resu lts. AgMNPV-CL4-3A1 and the wild type AgMNPV had similar restriction p rofiles that were different from wild type AcMNPV. The LC50 values wer e 96.9, 564.6, 733.3, and 1.1 x 10(4) occlusion bodies/cm(2) of diet f or A. gemmatalis, Helicoverpa tea, Heliothis virescens, and I: ni, res pectively.