THEORETICAL OPTIMIZATION OF BACILLUS-THURINGIENSIS BERLINER FOR CONTROL OF THE EASTERN SPRUCE BUDWORM, CHORISTONEURA-FUMIFERANA CLEM - (LEPIDOPTERA, TORTRICIDAE) - ESTIMATES OF LETHAL AND SUBLETHAL DOSE REQUIREMENTS, PRODUCT POTENCY, AND EFFECTIVE DROPLET SIZES

We present calculations of droplet sizes and product potencies that are theoretically required to deliver a lethal dose of Bacillus thuringiensis in one droplet to larvae of the eastern spruce budworm in aerial spray applications. The calculations are based on estimates of the dose required for 50% and 95% mortality [4.3 and 26.9 International Units (IU), respectively] and of the lowest dose that caused discernable feeding inhibition (0.5 IU) in force-feeding assays with sixth-instar larvae. For products containing 12.7-16.9 billion IU (BIU) per litre, the most widely used potency range, a 150- to 160-mum droplet is needed to deliver an LD95 and an 80- to 90-mum droplet to deliver an LD50, whereas droplets down to 40 mum are expected to cause extensive feeding inhibition. Our calculations suggest that current application prescriptions result in the delivery of a marginally effective dose to the target foliage and that budworm larvae have to ingest multiple droplets to obtain a lethal dose, a process that is thought to contribute to inconsistent spray efficacy. We predict that dose acquisition can be maximized by increasing product potency to 95 BIU/L, which would enable larvae to acquire a lethal dose by ingestion of only one or two droplets in the size range that is most commonly encountered on coniferous foliage (less-than-or-equal-to 80 mum) after aerial application.