ViVUS MAX

ViVUS Max

Biological insecticide for the control of Helicoverpa spp. larvae

Insect Target

Helicoverpa (formerly Heliothis) insects Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera larvae (common names include cotton bollworm, corn earworm and tomato fruitworm).

Registered Crops

Cereal grains, Lucerne, Oilseed, Potatoes, Pulses, Cotton, Sweet corn, Berry fruit, Brassica vegetables, Celery, Cucurbits, Fruiting vegetables, Leafy vegetables, Legume vegetables, Ornamental flowers and plants, Pome fruit.

Overview

ViVUS Max is a highly effective natural baculovirus-based biological control.

Used either as a classical insecticide to target economic populations of Helicoverpa, or applied when crops first become attractive to caterpillars, ViVUS introduces a baculovirus that specifically targets Helicoverpa.

Depending on the crop, ViVUS generally works best when used as part of a grower’s pest control regime. It reduces the overall costs of pest control by enhancing the natural defence mechanisms against Helicoverpa.

The baculovirus multiplies and spreads through the Helicoverpa population—generally lasting for the duration of the crop. ViVUS continuously suppresses the pest without causing flare-ups in other insect populations, and provides substantial reductions in damage caused by sub-threshold numbers of Helicoverpa larvae.

The product contains the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) of Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea

Features and benefits

  • Environmental Safety
    Zero impact on bees, soil insects, soil microbes, aquatic organisms, birds and mammals
  • Human Safety
    Zero impact on operators and community – minimum safety and re-entry precautions
  • Integrated Pest Management
    No or positive effect on predators and parasites – NPV infected larvae are a food source for beneficial species
  • No Residues
    No post-harvest interval, and no spray-drift or run-off restrictions
  • Organic Certified
    NPV’s can be used by Certified Organic growers

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.
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