To focus on insect taxonomy, semiochemicals, pollinators and biological control
ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya , Palampur for promoting students’ collaborative research in the areas of insect taxonomy, semiochemicals, pollinators and biological control.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr TR Sharma, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), Dr Harinder Kumar Chaudhary, Vice Chancellor, CSKHPKV, Palampur and Dr SN Sushil, Director, ICAR-NBAIR.
Dr T R Sharma, lauded the huge insect collections housed at the National Insect Museum at ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru. He also emphasised on the need for the culturing of bumble bees and the potential scope for utilising them in polyhouse pollination.
Dr Harinder Kumar Chaudhary emphasised upon the sharing of the expertise and facilities for research of PG students for effective utilisation of resources. He also stressed on collaboration with the Bureau to address the emerging /new insects pests in the hill grown crops in Himachal Pradesh.
Dr SN Sushil, briefed the Bureau’s taxonomic expertise across different insect orders, conservation of Apis/non-Apis bees, biological control of invasive insects, semiochemical based insect management strategy, slow-release nano pheromone formulations and molecular characterisation and DNA barcoding of insects and insect whole genome sequencing.
A Brain Storming session for future collaboration with ICAR Institutes was also organised.
