Division of Entomology & Nematology

The research on plant protection aspects was started in 1970’s in the division of Entomology and Nematology, headed by Late Dr. V.G. Prasad. The division laid foundation for biocontrol work, which started at IIHR as an AICR Project in 1977 and and latler was made independent as Project Directorate f Biological Control (presently, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, NBAII).  The pesticide residues work in which safe waiting periods were fixed for many pesticides for both fruits and vegetables was also initiated then.  From its inception, the Division has been the leader in IPM of fruits and vegetables. Work on pest management of ornamental and medicinal crops was initiated in 1980.

Mandate

1. To carry out basic and strategic research for the management of pests of Horticultural crops (vegetables, fruits, ornamental, medicinal and aromatic crops).
2. To Develop Integrated Pest Management packages and Integrated Nematode Management packages by emphasizing ecofriendly pest management.
3. To conduct teaching and training programmes for development of human resources in pest management.
4. To develop innovative products and commercialize the same through ITMU and public and private partnership (PPP).

Thrust areas (12th FYP)

1. Semiochemical based pest management in horticultural crops.
2. Development of commercially viable formulations of  biopesticides and botanicals for insect and nematode pests.
3. Management of borer pests in Horticultural crops.
4. Insect vector-Virus interaction studies
5. Molecular systematics and basic physiological studies of sucking pests in Horticultural crops
6. Insecticide Resistance Management
7. Pest Management under protected conditions.
8. Studies on effect of climate change on horticultural crop pests

Significant achievements: 

The division has six different laboratories focusing on different aspects of horticultural crop pest management including nematodes in major fruits, vegetables, ornamental, medicinal and aromatic crops. The division has been conducting several research projects sponsored by ICAR and other central government departments, apart from internationally funded projects. They include ICAR ad-hoc, AICRP’s, NATP, DBT, DST, NABARD, APEDA sponsored projects etc. This division was also involved in the SAVERNET phase I and II in collaboration with AVRDC, Taiwan; USDA funded project on IPM in vegetable crops; PL-480 project on location of source of resistance to fruit fly in cucurbits and an international India-UK (DFID)-Fruit fly project.

A scientific society entitled “Association for Advancement for Pest Management of Horticultural Ecosystems” (AAPMHE) was started in July, 1994 with an aim to promote the cause of Plant Protection in Horticulture. AAPMHE has been publishing a journal entitled “Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems” bi-annually.

The division has come out with several technologies for the management of insect and nematode pests on various horticultural crops, some of them are listed below. 

1. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)  in cabbage
2. IPM  in Tomato
3. IPM of cucurbit fruit fly
4. IPM of mango fruit fly
5. IPM of grape thrips
6. IPM of  sapota seed borer
7. IPM of stone weevil in mango
8. Biocontrol technology for the management of mealy bugs on fruit crops
9. Biological control of exotic spiraling whitefly on horticultural crops
10. Isolation and use of Metarhizium anisopliae against mango hoppers.
11. Microbial control of lepidopterous pests of cabbage and tomato fruit borer.
12. Development and use of  botanicals (neem and pongamia soaps) for the management of vegetable crop pests
13. Pest management in capsicum and tomato under polyhouse conditions.
14. Integrated Pest Management in ornamental crops (rose, gerbera, chrysanthemum and jasmine).
15. Development of organic modules for the management of pests of rose and gerbera under Polyhouse
16. Use of biopesticides for the management of nematodes in fruits, vegetables and ornamental crops.
17. Management of vertebrate pests (Grapes)

Technologies commercialised

1. Methyl eugenol pheromone traps for mango fruit fly.
2. Cuelure pheromone traps for cucurbit fruit fly
3. Sealer cum Healer for the management of stem borers
4. Hot water treatment for fruit fly management
5. Neem soap and Pongamia soap for insect pest management in vegetables
6. Trichoderma viride – 1.5% W.P for nematode management
7. Trichoderma harzianum – 1% W.P,  Paecilomyces lilacinus – 1% W.P etc.   for some fungal and nematode disease management

 

List of varieties/germplasm collections resistant/least susceptible to insect and mite pests

Crop	Pests		Resistant/ tolerant/ Least Susceptible varieties genotypes
Fruit crops
Mango	Hoppers	Lazzat Bhakshi, Baneshan, Chinnarasam and Khader
	Fruit fly	EC95862, Langra (least susceptible)
Banana	Thrips	Vennon, Klue taperod and Peyan
	Rhizome weevil	Locatan,Chakkia,Kostha,Bontha,Malaimonthan,Peapeykunnan, Jamini
	Lacewing bug	Jurmony, Thattilakuman, Malakali, Krishna Vazhai and Kali
Citrus	Leaf miner	Rubidoux,Tomari,Citrumelo,Savage,Morton, Troyer and Carrizo
	psyllids	Cleopatra, Gal , Kagzi lime ,Karna kata and Rubidoux
Pomegranate	Fruit borer	Debano Bosco and Jyoti
Guava	Fruit fly	Red flesh, Pink flesh and Strawberry
	Fruit borer	Dudhkhaja, Arka kiran, Lalit and Hisar Surkha
Sapota	Fruit fly	PKM-1,PKM-2,DHS-1,DHS-2,Bhuripatti and Pilipatta
Custard Apple	Fruit fly	Red Sitaphal, Pink Mammoth
Aonla	Fruit borer	NA-10, Chakaiya
Jackfruit	Shoot and Fruit borer	G-1, G-2, G-9 and ACC G-65
Vegetable crops
Tomato	Fruit borer		T 27 and T 32
	whitefly		Lycopersicon hirsutum f. glabaratum, Solanum pennellii,Avinash-1, Avinash-2,Mruthyunjaya-1, Mruthyunjaya-2 and Mruthyunjaya-3
	Spider mite		PI 251303, Lycopersicon hirsutum f. glabaratum and Lycopersicon hirsutum f. typicum
Brinjal	Fruit and shoot borer		PPC-2, Aushey, H165, Thorn, Pendy, Punjab Barsati, pusa purple cluster, Arka Kusmak, Doli-5, H 407, HLB-12, JC-1, GBH-1,JC-2, Pant Brinjal Hybrid 1 and PPI 1
	Leafhopper		S-34 and S-258
	Lady bird beetle		Solanum mammosum and Solanum viarum
	Aphids		Annamalai
Chilli	Thrips and Mites		NT46A (T), Punjab Lal, Pusa Jwala, Phule Jyoti, Arka Meghana  and Pant C 1
Capsicum	Whitefly		California wounder Yolo wounder and Koral
	Thrips and Mites		Pusa Jwala and Phule Jyoti
Onion	Thrips		TNAU hybrids CO2, CO3 and CO4
Cowpea	Leafhopper		TVu 123 and Vita 3
	Aphids		TVu 310, TVu 801, TVu 408 and 3000
	Thrips		TVu 1509 and TVx 3236
	Pod borer		TVu 946,TVu 1896 ,AG,H51-1 and 2AK
French bean	Bean fly		E30 and E34
Okra	Leafhoppers		Punjab Padmini
	Fruit borer		AE-22, AE-52, Wonderful Pink, Pusa A-4,  Pusa Sawani, Parkins long green, Karnal Special, Velvet, IIHR-4, Siswal-1 and 2
	Whitefly		Arka Anamika,  Hisar unnnat, Varsha Uphar ,P 7 Pusa Sawani, Pusa A 4, Arka Abhay, , Hisar Naveen, HBH-142 (F1 hybrid), Gujarat Anand Okra-5, CO 1, CO 3, COBhH 1, Azad Bhindi -1 and Azad Bhindi-3
	Aphid		Pusa A 4 and Gujarat Anand Okra-5
Muskmelon	Fruitfly		MM 102-1, IHR-19, 22, 32, 40and Karda
	Red pumpkin beetle		Casaba
Watermelon	Red pumpkin beetle		72 and  98
	Aphids		PI 299563
	Spider Mite		Congo, Giza 1, Durgapur Kesar (RW 187-2) Mithila, Suganthi, Kiran, Vishal and Simran
Ber	Resistant to fruit borer		Banarsi Pewandi, Ajmeri, Gola, Gurgaon and Jhajjar
	Tolerant to fruit fly		Umran and Tikkadi
Pumpkin	Fruitfly		Arka Suryamukhi, IHR-32, IHR79-2 and IHR 83
	Red pumpkin beetle		596-2 and 613
Ornamental crops
Chrysanthemum	Thrips		‘Swetha Sringar’, ‘Varthur’, ‘Lemon’, ‘Co-2’, ‘Mother Teresa’

Source:

• Reddy PP, Verghese A and Kumar NKK (2001). Integrated pest management in Horticultural Ecosystems. Capital publishing Company (India), NewDelhi.24-45p.
• Palaniswamy S, Natarajan N, Sivasubramanian P, Karuppuchamy P and Douressamy S (2005). Recent advances in Host Plant Resistance. Proceedings of the National Training on Recent advances in Host Plant Resistance conducted from February 9-March 1,2005by the Centre of Advanced Studies in Entomology, TNAU, Coimbatore. 141-186 pp.

List  of  varieties &  hybrids tolerant / resistant to nematodes

 

Crop	Nematode	Resistant/ tolerant varieties/ hybrid lines
Fruit crops
Banana	Radopholus similis	Kadali, Pedalimoongil, Peykunnan, Ayiramkapoovan, Kunnan, Pisang Seribu, Tongat, Vennettu Kunnan, Anaikomban
Citrus	Tylenchulus semipenetrans	Trifoliate orange, Swingle Citrumello
	Pratylenchus coffeae	Poncirus trifoliata Microcitrus selections
Grapevine	Meloidogyne incognita	Black Champa, Dogridge, 1613, Salt Creek, Cardinal, Banquabad, Zinfundel, Kandharia, Kishmish Chorni, Redvine, Convert Large Black, Luglienga
	Rotylenchulus reniformis	Dakshi, Joazbeli, Mukchilani
Papaya	R. reniformis	Solo, Washington
Passion Fruit	M. incognita	Yellow, Kaveri
Vegetable crops
Tomato	Meloidogyne  spp.	Nematox, SL-120, NTR-1, SL-12, Patriot, VFN-8, VFN Bush, Piersol, Radiant, Nemared, Ronita, Anahu, Bresch, Helani, Campbell-25, Punuui, Arka Vardan, Pelican, Hawaii-7746, Hawaii-7747, Hisar Lalit, Punjab NR-7
	R. reniformis	Healani, VFN Bush, Radiant, SL-120, Patriot, Kalyanpur  selection I, Kalyanpur  selection III, Petropride, Peto 95, Peto 108, Nema 1400, ACE 55
Brinjal	M. incognita	Giant of Banaras, Black Beauty, Gola, SM – 67, Gachha Baigun, Syamala (MR)
Chilli	M. javanica	579, CAP-63, Pusa Jwala Wonder Hot, Teja, LCA 206
	M. incognita	IIHR 4561, IIHR 3448, IIHR 3024, IIHR 3575 (Immune)
	R. reniformis	Sweet Bell, California Wonder
Capsicum	R. reniformis	Sweet Ball, California Wonder
Onion	R. reniformis	Evergreen
Cowpea	M. incognita	Barsati Mutant, Iron, Clay, Chinese Red, Groit, New Era, Missisipi Purple, Missisipi Silver, New Selection, Viktor K 798, Broweye 7, Brabham, Moneetta, Catjang, Columbia, Gujarat Cowpea 1 (GAU-1), C-152, 92-1-B, IC 9642-B, TVU 2430-P
	Heterodera cajani	CO 6
French bean	M. incognita	Banat, Blue Lake Stringless, Bountiful Flat, Brown Beauty, Cambridge Countess, Gallaroy, Kenya-3, Pinto W5-114, Seafarer, Suttan’s Masterpiece
Okra	M. incognita	Parbhani Kranthi (MR)
		IIHR 359, IIHR 387, 10-11-875 (Highly Resistant); IIHR 357, IIHR 361, IIHR 362, IIHR 363, IIHR 364, 11-1-50 (Moderately Resistant)
Muskmelon	M.incognita	Scarsol
	M. javanica	S-445
Watermelon	M. incognita	Shehjanpuri
Ridgegourd	M. incognita	Panipati, Meerut Special
Ash gourd	M. incognita	Jaipuri, Agra
Pumpkin	M. incognita	Jaipuri, Dasna
Ornamental crops
China aster	M. incognita	Shashank-Resistant; Poornima-Mod. Resistant
Tuberose	M. incognita	Shringar-Resistant; Suvasini-Tolerant
		IIHR -2, IIHR-4, Variegated, Shringar OP, Suarna rekha, GK-T-C4, Calcutta Double, Bidhan Jyothi (Tolerant)
Gladiolus	M. incognita	Arka-Amar, Arka Aayush, Arka Kesar, Hybrid12, Kumkum, 86-32-11, 84-6-13, 84-4-9, GC (Tolerant)
Crossandra	M. incognita	Arka Shreya, Mutant, Green (Resistant)
Medicinal crops
Coleus	M. incognita	Hy06-10 (Moderately resistant)

Source:

• Reddy PP (2007). Bio-intensive integrated nematode management in horticultural ecosystems: Principles and practices. Scientific publishers (India), Jodhpur, 308p;
• ICAR - IIHR Annual Reports 2014-15, 15-16, 16-17

 

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Dr.  K. Gopalakrishna Pillai

Principal Scientist & I/c Head

Division of Entomology & Nematology

IIHR, Hessaraghatta Lake Post

Bangalore – 560 089.