Characterization of a Costa Rican granulovirus strain highly pathogenic against its indigenous hosts, Phthorimaea operculella and Tecia solanivora Gomez-Bonilla, Y. Lopez-Ferber, M. Caballero, P. /Léry, Xavier Munoz, D. microbial control adaptation to host PhopGV Baculoviridae Lepidoptera Gelechiidae tuberworm integrated pest management Betabaculovirus A granulovirus isolate collected from diseased Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gele-chiidae) larvae in Costa Rican potato [Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae)] crops was characterized at the molecular and biological level. Restriction endonuclease analysis identified this isolate as a novel P. operculella granulovirus (PhopGV) (Baculoviridae: Betabaculovirus) strain and was designated as PhopGV-CR1. In addition, PCR amplification of four specific variable genomic regions yielded multiple amplicons for two open reading frames, revealing the presence of different genotypic variants within the virus population. Biologically, PhopGV-CR1 was highly pathogenic for its two indigenous hosts, although significant differences of up to four-fold were detected against P. operculella [LD50 = 17.9 occlusion bodies (OBs) mm)(-2)] and Tecia solanivora (Povolny) (Lepidoptera: Gele-chiidae) (LD50 = 69.1 OBs mm)(-2)). The two P. operculella colonies, from Costa Rica and France, were equally susceptible to PhopGV-CR1. Serial passage of PhopGV-CR1 over four generations in T. solanivora increased its pathogenicity by five-fold in three generations, suggesting an ongoing adaptation to its alternate host. 2011 text https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053740 fdi:010053740 Gomez-Bonilla Y., Lopez-Ferber M., Caballero P., Léry Xavier, Munoz D.. Characterization of a Costa Rican granulovirus strain highly pathogenic against its indigenous hosts, Phthorimaea operculella and Tecia solanivora. 2011, 140 (3), 238-246 EN