From 1983 to 1988 six experiments and three pilot fields were carried out at Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, aimed at controlling Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae through air and land applications of its nuclear polyhedrosis virus (Ag NPV). One hundred larval equivalents (LE) of NPV were applied, with soybean oil, sugar cane molasses and water, with an Ipanema spraying plane equipped with Micronair nozzles. The oil (5.5 and 5 L ha-1) and molasses (10 L ha-1) preparations yielded 75-89% and 79-96% control, respectively. The use of aqueous formulation (3 L ha-1) didn't provide good control, but 15, 20 and 25 L ha-1 were effective (81-90%). Fifty LE applied by plane at 3 L ha-1 or by a tractor propelled atomizer (15 L ha-1) was inefficient. Fifty LE applied with a bar sprayer (134 and 150 L ha-1) provided 87-90% control. When applied by plane (15, 20 and 25 L ha-1) the control was 93-98%. Air applications of 50 LE using soybean oil (5 L ha-1) and sugar cane molasses (10 L ha-1) were efficient, providing 86-88% and 99% control, respectively. The results obtained from the pilot fields were similar to the ones obtained with the experiments.
soybean crop; Lepidoptera; Noctuidae; Anticarsia gemmatalis; soybean oil; sugar cane molasses; Micronair nozzles; tractor propelled atomizer
