ABSTRACT
A 6-mile diameter area in the Mississippi Delta was treated with an entomopathogenic virus to determine the effect on adult populations of tobacco budworms and cotton bollworms emerging from early season weed hosts. Four aircraft were used to treat ca. 17,590 acres during 24-28 April at a rate of 40 larval equivalents (ca. 2 oz. ELCAR) per acre. Emergence data from cages placed over treated or untreated areas indicated that virus treatments reduced budworm adult emergence by 80.6% and bollworm adult emergence by 46.2%. During the emergence period, budworm traps in the center 4-mile diameter of the treated area captured an average of 6.1 moths/trap/night compared to 10.5 moths/trap/night in the area surrounding the treated area, a reduction of 41.9 percent compared to the untreated surrounding area. Trap counts of bollworm adults during that period indicated a 21 percent reduction in the center 4-mile diameter.
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