ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A VIRUS IN LARVAE OF Euprosterna elaeasa Dyar. (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)

Abstract

The present study was carried out in Euproterna elaeasa Dyar larvae with symptoms of a bacterial and/or virus infection, collected at the plantation of "Palmas Oleaginosas Bucarelia S.A." located in Puerto Wilches, Colombia. The bacteria and viruses responsible for the symptoms were identified. In the case of a bacterial infection, Serratia marcescens Bizio and Bacillus subtilis Cohn, were isolated and characterized by macroscopic and microscopic observations and bio­chemical tests. For the first time in Colombia, a Multiple Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus (M N P V) was isolated of E. elaeasa by ultracentrifugation in saccharose gra­dients and identified by electronic microscopy and electrophoresis. A general sequence of the infection at a histologic level was performed. To test the pathogenicity of the isolated virus a bioassay was carried out with larvae of the III, IV and V instar inoculated with 6 different concentrations of the M N F V. The Lethal Doce (D L50) was calculated by the "Probit analysis" obtaining 1,24 pol/mm² and 13,49 pol/mm² DL 50 for the larvae in the IV and V instar, respectively. The pathogenicity of the virus is con­firmed. It is concluded that as the instar larvae increase a higher LD 50 is required.