Entomopathogenic microorganisms in the foci of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) in nut-fruit forests of the south of Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

In the nut-fruit forests of the south of Kyrgyzstan the population of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) is significantly regulated by the nucleopolyhedrovirus. In 2005–2007, half of all dead caterpillars died due to viruses. At the same time bacterial infection caused by Bacillus thuringiensis resulted in the 31.2% mortality rate of the herbivore, and mycotic and mixed bacterial-viral infection, in about 20%. It is revealed that the virulence of the Central Asian strains of the nucleopolyhedrovirus is higher as compared with that of the West Siberian strains.