Effect of fluorescent brighteners on the insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki and LdMNPV on Lymantria dispar asiatica in Korea

Stilbene-based fluorescent brighteners (FBs) have been demonstrated to improve the insecticidal activities of entomopathogenic viruses; however, there is limited information regarding their effect on entomopathogenic bacteria. We conducted this study to investigate the effect of two FBs (FB 28 and FB 71) on the insecticidal activities of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) and Lymantria dispar multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus (LdMNPV) on Lymantria dispar asiatica. FB 28 and Btk combination at low concentration (1.6 × 10² IU/mL) increased the mortality, whereas FB 71 and Btk combination at intermediate and high concentrations (1.6 × 10³ and 1.6 × 10⁴ IU/mL) slightly reduced the mortality compared with that with Btk alone. The lethal time was also shorter with combinations of Btk and FB 28 than with FB 71. Both FB 28 and FB 71 increased the mortality in combination with LdMNPV at all concentrations (3 × 10², 3 × 10⁴, and 3 × 10⁶  polyhedral occlusion bodies/mL compared with that with LdMNPV alone. Our results suggest that FBs improve the insecticidal activities of Btk and LdMNPV, and their activities depend on their interactions with the midgut structures of the host insect species.