Main Agricultural Research Station, UAS, Raichur
v Year of establishment: 1997
v Introduction:
In recent years, the awareness among the scientific and farming communities on ill effects of chemical pesticides has led to evolve a sound and viable plant protection alternatives rather than sole dependent on chemical pesticides, though these pesticides provide excellent control of the target pest at the same time they are the source for environment pollution. A book written by Rachel Carson (1972) “The Silent Spring” showed a way out to look for alternative pest control tactics rather than sole dependent on pesticides which eroded the natural enemies and also polluted the environment. In India also the ill effects of insecticides is witnessed Kasargod districts to contain the tea mosquito bug in cashew orchard. To overcome the problems associated with pesticides the concept of economic threshold level was proposed by Stern and his associates and it gave impetus for the development of a concept called integrated pest management (IPM) was initiated on major crops to combat the insect pests by use all possible management tactics.
Biological control is one of the integral components of the IPM which involves the use of any living organism and it’s by product to contain other living organism which is a pest. Biological control comprises of natural enemies (Predatotrs and Parasitiods), and the disease causing microbes in insect pests Viz., Bacteria, Fungi, Viruses and Nematodes and their by products to regulate the insect pest population.
Despite the promising impacts of biopesticides, the Indian biopesticide industry is growing at a very slow pace. The biopesticides accounted for approximately 0.2% during 2000 of the total global pesticides market and it increased to 4.5% by 2010. In India, biopesticide production is currently dominated by antagonistic fungi and bacteria such as Trichoderma spp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens, but the production of nucleopolyhedrosis viruses (NPV), granuloviruses (GV), and entomopathogenic fungi are also established and expanding. A major goal has been to develop local sourcing of biopesticides as a means of ensuring availability at a low cost to benefit poorer farmers, and as a base for expanding an Indian biotechnology industry.
v Aims and Objectives:
Aim of the Biocontrol Unit is to identify the native isolate of potential biocontrol agents their characterization and development of mass multiplication techniques for large scale production to cater the needs of the farmers of this region with following objectives.
- Collection and Identification of native biocontrol agents of this region.
- To take up the large scale production of potential biocontrol agents.
- To supply quality biopesticides to the farmers of North Eastern Karnataka
- To impart training to the rural youths of this region for mass production of biocontrol agents.
v Faculty Information
| 1. | Name | : | Dr. Arunkumar Hosamani |
| 2. | Designation and address | : |
Professor of Entomology Bio control Unit, MARS, UAS, Raichur |
| 3. | Qualification | Ph.D in Agril. Entomology | |
| 4. | Total Service | : | 23 Years |
v Supporting Staff
| 1. | Name | : |
Mr. Ramesh Lachamanna Sr. Field Assistant |
v
Infrastructure
a) Mass production units for Entomopathogenic fungi
b) Mass production units for Tricho card production
c) Insect Biotechnology Laboratory
d) Training Hall
v
Mandate
- Field demonstrations in different crops to popularize the efficacy of biological control agents as a major component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- To develop cost effective technologies for a large scale production of proven biological control agents.
- To transfer the technology and impart training in biological control
v Activities of Biocontrol Unit
- Research
- Development of integrated pest management modules for cotton / pulses / vegetables pests
- Refining mass production technologies of biological control agents
- Survey and evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes against cotton bollworm complex
- Studies on the Biology, Pathogenicity, and shelflife of locally isolated entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis indicus (RCR) (Heterorhabditidae: Nematoda)
- Studies on compatibility of chemical insecticides with Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Lecanicilium lecani
- Studies on combined effect of Entomopathogens and compatible insecticides against various insect pests
- Studies on Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) on cotton Bollworms in particular Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders)
- Education
ü Teaching and guiding PG students on various aspects of biological control
ü Evaluation of egg parasitoids Trichogramma pretiosum and Telenomus remus against Fall army worm in maize
ü In vitro studies on compatibility of Metarhizium anisopliae with selected insecticides, acaricides, herbicides, nutrients and botanicals
ü Isolation and molecular characterisation of Entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchinikoff) and their efficacy studies against Holotrichia serreta (Fabricius) in North Eastern Karnataka
- Extension
ü Transfer of technologies on biological control
ü Educating farmers as well as extension workers about the bio control agents
ü Organizing periodical training, publishing popular articles, leaflets, folders, T.V and radio talks on biological control
v
Achivements
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Various biocontrol agents of economically important crop pests of Kalyana Karnataka have been identified, isolated and mass produced
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Successful Mass production of Entomopathogens Viz., Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Lecanicilium lecanii and Nomuraea rileyi
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Successful Mass production of Trichogramma species like T. chilonis, T. japonicum, T. pretiosm and T. bactrae along with laboratory host Corcyra cephalonica
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Use of Metarhizium anisopliae against white grub has given encouraging results in various crops like sugarcane and chickpea and has been included in Package of practices of UAS, Raichur.
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NBAIR strain of HaNPV was included in UAS, Raichur Package of Practice for the management of Helicoverpa armigera in chick pea ecosystem.
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Entomopathogenic Bacteria Bt (NBAIR Bt G4) was added in package of practice of practice of UAS, Raichur.
For Further Details Contact:
Dr. Arunkumar Hosamani
Professor and Head
Biocontrol Unit, Main Agriculture Research Station
University of Agriculture sciences Raichur
Phone: 08532-220211
Email: aicrpbc@uasraichur.edu.in
