Effective Biological Control of Bollworm Larvae on Agricultural Crops
HeliMax is a suspension concentrate biological insecticide containing a host-specific baculovirus, designed for the integrated control of bollworm larvae on a wide range of agricultural crops.
Target: Bollworm
Registered Crops: Refer to Label
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Benefits
IPM Friendly
HeliMax is fully compatible with Integrated Pest Management programs, as it is safe for beneficial insects and other arthropods.
MRL Management
Being a living organism, HeliMax leaves no chemical residues. There are no maximum residue limits (MRLs) and no pre-harvest interval (PHI), allowing crops to be harvested shortly after application.
Specificity
The virus targets only bollworm larvae and can be applied at any crop stage without negatively impacting bees, the environment, or other beneficial insects.
No Resistance
As a living, host-specific virus, bollworm cannot develop resistance to HeliMax.
Locally Produced
HeliMax is produced at River Bioscience’s Eastern Cape facility, ensuring reliable availability with no shipping delays or shortages.
How Does It Work?
- Bollworm larvae feed on crops treated with HeliMax, ingesting the virus.
- The protective protein coat (occlusion bodies) dissolves in the insect’s highly alkaline gut.
- Viral nucleocapsids traverse the midgut lining and infect the insect’s cells, initiating primary infection. The virus replicates and spreads to other tissues as budded viruses, causing secondary infection.
- Infected larvae die, and the virus-filled tissues disintegrate, releasing new virus particles into the environment to infect other larvae, creating a self-propagating cycle of control.
Efficacy & Trial Data:
Field trials conducted across multiple crops and regions have demonstrated HeliMax’s effectiveness against bollworm.
For optimal results, applications should be made early in the morning when bollworms are active, and UV degradation is minimal.