ENTOMOLOGY
/ NEMATOLOGY
Though the coffee
experiment station was established in 1925, the entomological studies were
carried out by the staff of Mysore Agriculture Department till 1938. It
was in 1954 that a separate Entomology Division came into existence and in the
year 1964 the division was renamed as Division of Entomology / Nematology. the
faculty is focusing attention to evolve better management strategies against
pests of coffee, provide technical assistance to the extension wing and
conducting farmer programmes besides rendering advisory in specific cases.
Special emphasis is being given for multiplication of natural enemies in the
bio-control programme. The concept of Integral pest management is being
given paramount importance.
SALIENT ACHIEVEMENTS
- Development of package
of practices for effective management of pests of coffee.
- Grafting technique in
the seedling stage developed to overcome the problem of nematode.
- Mass multiplication of
an exotic parasitoid and its release against mealy bugs highly successful.
- Coffee Berry Borer
effectively managed by evolving integrated management practices.
- 3 exotic parasitoids
against coffee berry borer introduced from Colombia and Mexico.
- A strain of Beauveria
bassiana, a fungal pathogen, against berry borer being mass multiplied.
- A simple trapping device
using mineral water bottles with alcohol as bait designed to trap the
emerging adult berry borer.
- Synthetic male white
stem borer pheromone used as one of the tools in IPM of the pest.
ON-GOING PROGRAMMES
- Integrated management on
sucking pests of coffee.
- Mission mode action
programme to combat White stem borer.
- National Mission on
control and prevention of coffee berry borer.
- ICO-CFC international
project on integrated management of coffee berry borer.
- Evaluation of systemic
fungicides against Shot-hole borer.
- Screening of botanicals
and new pesticides against nematodes.
THRUST AREAS
- Evaluation of
alternative and Eco-friendly chemicals against coffee pests.
- Introduction of
promising bio-control gents.
