ViVUS Max
Label
MSDS 
Technical information
Registered crops: Cereal grains, Lucerne, Oilseed, Potatoes, Pulses, Cotton, Sweetcorn, Berryfruit, Brassica vegetables, Celery, Cucurbits, Fruiting vegetables, Leafy vegetables, Legume vegetables, Ornamental flowers and plants, Pome fruit
Pack sizes: 1 L, 5 L, 10 L
Dead Helicoverpa armigera larva on
sorghum, due to NPV infection
ViVUS Max is a highly effective biological insecticide for the selective control of Helicoverpa armigera and H. punctigera larvae. It contains the nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) of Helicoverpa armigera. The active ingredient is manufactured in Ag Biotech’s facility based in Richmond, New South Wales. The virus is produced in vivo, which involves the mass rearing of Helicoverpa armigera and infection of larvae to produce the virus.
The ViVUS Max formulation has a virus concentration 2.5x greater than other NPV products. This means lower use rates and reduced packaging and storage requirements. ViVUS Max is 100% Australian owned and made, and is specifically manufactured for Australian growers. Our operation is geared to meet the unpredictable demand of the Australian market, with very short formulation lead times, a large depot network, adequate buffer stocks and rapid in-field support.
ViVUS Max contains an Australian strain of NPV which is more virulent than the US virus used in the original ViVUS. It was developed in co-operation with the Queensland DPI&F Biopesticides Unit and with support of an Australian Government NIDP grant.
Features and Benefits
| Feature | Benefit | |
|---|---|---|
| Higher concentration formulation |  |
Lower rates; reduced packaging and storage |
| More potent native isolate | |
Improved field performance |
| Produced using Helicoverpa armigera | |
Better performance against the key Australian pest |
| Highly specific to Heliothis | |
No impact on beneficial species |
| Targeted control of Heliothis | |
Ideal for Integrated Pest Management |
| No residues | |
Nil withholding period |
| Naturally occurring biological insecticide | |
Safe to the environment |
| 100% Australian made and owned | |
Keeping jobs and profits in Australia |
Key points on performance
- Excellent spray coverage critical to achieve good results
- Larvae must ingest the virus to become infected
- Apply during warm conditions (25-35°C) when larvae are actively feeding
- Peak control at 4 to 9 days after application (faster in warm conditions)
- Provides between 60 to 90% control depending on coverage, environmental conditions and size of larvae
Technical information
ViVUS Max technical manual
655 kb
Heliothis threshold calculator
Using NPV to manage Helicoverpa in fieldcrops (Queensland DPI)
