Genome assembly, biological activity, physiological variation and molecular monitoring of spatially separated isolates of Spodoptera exempta nucleopolyhedrovirus

Studying the nucleopolyhedrovirus SpexNPV of the African Armyworm (Spodoptera exempta Walker), we generated full genome sequences for each of the 40 unique strains. These genomes were compared by GATK, varscan2, bcftools, as well as specific comparisons of 22 pathology-associated genes. These genotypic analyses were then analysed against phenotypic data derived from live biological samples of each virus strain: LD50, speed of kill, vertical transmission rate, viral reproduction rate and occlusion body size.