Canadian Forest Service Publications
Genotypic variation and presence of rare genotypes among Douglas-fir tussock moth multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (OpMNPV) isolates in British Columbia. 2005. Williams, H.L.; Otvos, I.S. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 88: 190-200.
Year: 2005
Issued by: Pacific Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 25512
Language: English
Availability: Not available through the CFS (click for more information).
Abstract
The Douglas-fir tussock moth (Orgyia pseudotsugata) multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (OpMNPV) is periodically applied to suppress Douglas-fir tussock moth populations in British Columbia and in the western United States. The strain of OpMNPV in the product currently used for suppression is not gentically distinct from naturally occurring OpMNPV. To separate the mortality caused by the applied virus from that caused by the naturally occurring virus, a rare and genetically distinct strain of OpMNPV must be applied. To learn more about the genotypic diversity of OpMNPV populations in BC and to identify rare strains in this region, viral DNA was extracted from larvae reared from 208 field-collected egg masses found in five geographic regions of British Columbia and subjected to REN analysis. Nine, 12, and 9 different genotypes were detected using PstI, SalI, and HindIII, respectively. When the PstI, SalI, and HindIII profiles for each pure (single strain) isolate were grouped and considered as a combined PstI-SalI-Hind-HindIII genotype, 23 different geotypes were identified among 185 isolates. Nine rare OPMNPV genotypes were selected as ideal candidates for use as a potential ‘marker strain; to accurately determine the efficacy of the treatment.