Nuclear polyhedrosis of Opisina arenosella WLK. (= Nephantis serinopa Meyr;) (Cryptophasidae: Lepidoptera) and its utility for the control of the pest

Abstract

The black headed caterpillar, Opising arenosella Hlk. (= Nephantis serinopa Meyrick) is a serious pest of coconut. The slender caterpillars found under the leaves in galleries made of silk and foreign matter feed on the chlorophyll tissues . Philip et al., (1982) reported the occurrence of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus in the larvae of O. arenosella. Basic information for judging the suitability of this pathogen for the control of the pest were lacking. Hence detailed studies were made on the symptamatology, morphology of the pathogen, histopathology, mode of transmission of the virus to the progeny, cross infectivity to other species of lepidoptera, bioassay of the virus , persistence of the virus on coconut foliage , effect of physical factors on the persistence of the virus, safety of the pathogen to non target organisms and the efficacy of the virusin controlling the pest in field.