Ihara's Gemstar virus has 95% of effectiveness against H. armigera in Brazil

"After the identification of the plague [Helicoverpa armigera], either by traps or beat cloths, the safest and most effective product in the market, which farmers are using in Brazil, is Gemstar. The solution is a highly virulent baculovirus in comparison with other pathogens, which guarantees over 95% of effectiveness”. The information is from the coordinator of Biological Research at Ihara, Tiago Oliveira.

According to him, the product has several other benefits: “One of those is the improvement of management of the resistance of the Heliothinae family. With its exclusive mode of action, when applied to the crop, the caterpillars which are feeding themselves from resistance start to ingest the occlusion bodies that are at plant's surface. Once inside the insect's gut, the bodies release particles of the virus, which penetrate the plague's cells and, after their replication, cause its rupture. The death of the caterpillars is caused as a result of this and, after the death, the caterpillars liquefy and the bodies 'trickle down' through the plant”.

"Other benefit is the fact that Gemstar offers greater safety to the applicator and the environment because it is a biological product. Besides, it does not cause any type of unbalance due to its high selectivity to the natural enemies. The released exudate of the dead caterpillars also can provoke secondary or horizontal infection in other caterpillars when they feed themselves from the dead bodies of the infected plagues, or through virus propagation around the crop in times of rain, irrigation or other transportation of the exudate. It is important to highlight that the frequency of the applications is the key for success, as well as the timing for the management,” explains Tiago Oliveira.

He concludes: “According to some researchers, we have an excellent response when adults are monitored and we identify the exact moment that the moth gets to the monitored area. Through the early identification, we initiate the applications with Gemstar, achieving the control of smaller caterpillars and one small infestation, without causing damages.”