Technical Abstract: Three biopesticide parameters were evaluated for a fast-killing isolate (3AP2) Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) and a wild-type isolate (Sf3) of the same baculovirus. Both isolates were evaluated for virus production using in vivo methods, for speed of kill based on bioassay of applications to glasshouse-grown and field-grown plants, and for residual insecticidal activity of unformulated virus and an encapsulating formulation to provide ultraviolet (UV) protection. Two inoculation rates comparing relative in vivo production of the isolates demonstrated 3AP2 infected larvae to be significantly smaller than Sf3 infected larvae at death. At the lower inoculation rate, Sf3 infected larvae produced approximately two-fold more polyhedra as the 3AP2 infected larvae. A model system of applications to cabbage plants and a bioassay to observe mortality of neonate Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) after feeding on samples of treated leaves was used to evaluate speed of kill and residual insecticidal activity. The calculated LT50 for the 3AP2 isolate was at least 30 h less than the LT50 estimate for the Sf3 isolate when applied to either glasshouse-grown or field-grown plants. The spray-dried lignin encapsulating formulation provided similar benefits to both virus isolates when exposed to simulated sunlight in the laboratory and to natural sunlight in the field. For treatment applications in June to field grown cabbage, the half-life for efficacy of unformulated virus was <7.5 h compared with a half-life of >26.7 for encapsulated virus. These results demonstrate that improved technologies combine easily to address characteristics which otherwise can limit the commercial potential of microbial-based biological insecticides.