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1 June 2011 Delivery System using Sodium Alginate Virus Loaded Pellets to Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta, Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Danielle M. Tufts, Kyle Spencer, Wayne B. Hunter, Blake Bextine
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Abstract

Microencapsulation as a delivery mechanism of SINV-1 and other molecules such as dsRNA, offers an approach to Solenopsis invicta Buren management that is target specific and fits current approaches to baiting ants with toxins and/or RNA-interference. The delivery method presented here targets ground dwelling, foraging ants with an ant-infecting virus which is specific to the genus, Solenopsis. Endemic ant-infecting viruses, like S. invicta viruses (SINV-1, SINV-2, and SINV-3) are being evaluated for efficacy in S. invicta population suppression. In this study, SINV-1 (TX5 strain) was extracted from S. invicta colonies and microencapsulated in sodium alginate pellets. Pellets containing extracted whole virions were offered to confirmed non-infected S. invicta colonies. Colonies were sampled every 5 d and tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for presence of viral RNA. The longevity of control and viral pellets were also evaluated. Within 30 d, post-feeding of virus, 35% of S. invicta colonies acquired SINV-1 infection (P = 0.03). Thus, microencapsulation as a delivery mechanism was successful to deliver SINV-1 to S. invicta colonies. Future incorporation of this economically affordable method can be implemented to deliver biological agents for specific ant species and to augment current approaches that bait ants. While a virus was used to demonstrate delivery, an adequate and affordable virus production system still needs to be developed before a viral strategy can be adopted as a tool for biological control of fire ants.

Danielle M. Tufts, Kyle Spencer, Wayne B. Hunter, and Blake Bextine "Delivery System using Sodium Alginate Virus Loaded Pellets to Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta, Hymenoptera: Formicidae)," Florida Entomologist 94(2), 237-241, (1 June 2011). https://doi.org/10.1653/024.094.0217
Published: 1 June 2011
KEYWORDS
ant management
anti-infecting virus
biological control
microencapsulation
mortality
Solenopsis invicta virus (SINV)
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