About 18 months ago, on December 8, 1970, the Food and Drug Administration officially granted the Heliothis nucleo polyhedrosis virus (NPV) the status of temporary exemption from requirement of a tolerance. This NPV, registered for use against Heliothis on cotton, has also been extensively tested on Heliothis species attacking corn, sorghum, tobacco and truck crops. This was the first time an insect virus had been officially registered by a federal agency for use as an insecticide. More recently Spain has registered this virus, and other governments also are in the process of registering the virus.
The historical and technical development of this virus from concept to commercialization is the subject of this presentation. The virus, first isolated from diseased Heliothis attacking cotton in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, was successfully developed through laboratory, pilot-plant, and commercial phases. At each phase the virus was evaluated on the basis of: (1) its safety to man, animals, and plants; (2) its production feasibility and costs; and (3) its effectiveness against the specific target pest. Currently, two companies (International Minerals and Chemical Corporation, Libertyville, Ill., and Nutrilite Products, Inc., Buena Vista, Calif.) are producing the Heliothis NPV under their trade names Viron/H and Biotrol VHZ, respectively, for experimental programs and for limited sales.