What is NPV biopesticide and which pests does it control?

NPV stands for nuclear polyhedrosis virus, a natural virus that infects and kills specific caterpillars. It is very host specific, so there is a HaNPV for the gram pod borer and cotton bollworm Helicoverpa, and a separate SlNPV for the tobacco caterpillar Spodoptera, and each only works on its own target pest, which also means it is completely safe for people, bees and natural enemies. The caterpillar must eat the sprayed virus, so like Bt you spray early on small larvae, in the evening because sunlight destroys the virus, and you often add jaggery as a feeding attractant and a sticker if the label allows. Infected larvae stop feeding, turn limp and die in several days, and their bodies release more virus. The honest limits are that it is slow, needs early timing against young larvae, and is broken down by UV, so cover the crop well and repeat. It fits very well in IPM for pod borer in chana, pigeon pea and cotton. Choose the correct NPV for your exact caterpillar and follow the label dose, your KVK can guide you.