Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #175826
Title: NUTRITIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY OF BACULOVIRUSES

Author
item Shelby, Kent
item Popham, Holly

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting North Central Branch
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2005
Publication Date: 3/22/2005
Citation: Shelby, K., Popham, H.J. 2005. Nutritional epidemiology of baculoviruses [abstract]. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting North Central Branch. p. 45

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In order to survive and to reproduce insects must resist infection by a wide variety of microbial pathogens using only innate immune responses. The quality and nutritional content of available food must be sufficient to support defense against microbial assault. We have examined the hypothesis that insect immunocompetence may be modulated by dietary micronutrients such as trace metals and vitamins. Active feeding on artificial diets supplemented with Selenium boosts larval lepidopteran immunocompetence against baculoviral challenge. Secondly we have examined the hypothesis that an innate antiviral immune response is present in larval plasma. Our results confirm that phenoloxidase is the predominant innate virucidal activity in larval plasma in vitro, and that phenoloxidase-dependent superoxide production may contribute to this virucidal activity in vitro. The effects of other micronutrients such as Cr(III) upon baculovirus resistance and plasma virucidal activity are currently under investigation.