. Protecting and enhancing America's forests and rangelands : 1986 research accomplishments. Forests and forestry United States; Rangelands United States. Adapting the Douglas-fir Tussock Moth Virus to a Substitute Host A nuclear polyhedrosis virus of the Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM) has been developed as a safe microbial insecticide for use in suppressing DFTM outbreaks. This is the first such virus registered by the Environmental Protection Agency for use against a forest insect pest. Currently, we produce it on living laboratory colonies of the tussock moth. Although DFTM is the natural
. Protecting and enhancing America's forests and rangelands : 1986 research accomplishments. Forests and forestry United States; Rangelands United States. Adapting the Douglas-fir Tussock Moth Virus to a Substitute Host A nuclear polyhedrosis virus of the Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM) has been developed as a safe microbial insecticide for use in suppressing DFTM outbreaks. This is the first such virus registered by the Environmental Protection Agency for use against a forest insect pest. Currently, we produce it on living laboratory colonies of the tussock moth. Although DFTM is the natural host of this virus, there are many reasons why it is not the best host for production of the microbial insecticide. Rearing the DFTM is expensive because fastidious manual care by trained personnel is required to assure a successful production schedule. Hairs on the larvae and cocoons can cause irritations or allergic reactions in laboratory workers. Protective clothing and filter masks are required for the safety of production-plant personnel. The tussock moth has a long life cycle that includes overwintering in the egg stage. This extends the generation time to several months and impedes production. In 1986, scientists at the Pacific Northwest Station successfully concluded a search for a substitute host to grow the DFTM virus. The cabbage looper has many advantages over the DFTM as a medium for production of the virus. It has a brief life cycle (24 days from adult The Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM) is the most serious defoliator of conifers in the West. It can be suppressed with chemical insecticides, or by introducing the nuclear polyhedrosis virus into DFTM populations. Researchers at the Pacific Northwest Station have developed a way of growing the virus in an alternate host insect--one much easier to rear in the lab. This breakthrough should make it much more economical to use the virus for DFTM control. to adult) and yields a virus product of much higher potency. The l
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