Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus as a potential biological insecticide: Genetic and phenotypic comparison of field isolates from Colombia

► Spodoptera frugiperda MNPV Colombian field isolates. ► Comparison with a Nicaraguan SfMNPV isolate (SfNIC). ► SfCOL estimated genome size: 133.9 kb and insertion of a ∼1.0 kb in a variable region. ► Two ORFs (4 and 5) shared homologies with Spodoptera exigua MNPV (se21 and se22/se23) and S. litura NPV (splt20 and splt21). ► SfCOL presents pathogenic characteristics that favor its development as a biopesticide product in Colombia.