Deploy slow release pheromone formulations
A team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, (ICAR-NBAIR) Bengaluru have successfully controlled the White grubs Holotrichia consanguinea with slow release pheromone nanoformulations.
The team worked in collaboration with the ICAR-All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests, Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Durgapura, Jaipur, Rajasthan. They conducted field trials at the RARI, Durgapur, Jaipur and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Maulasar, Nagaur, AU, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Holotrichia consanguinea is the predominant species of root grub damaging groundnut and in endemic areas, the damage to groundnut ranges from 20 to 100 percent. This is a polyphagous pest both in the grub and adult stage and inflicts heavy damage to the various fruit trees, their nurseries, vegetables, lawns and field crops.
To resolve the farmers’ problem, the ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru has developed a slow release nanogel formulation of methoxy benzene and the technology was tested in white grub endemic areas of Rajasthan and perfected. This slow release Nanogel formulation is effective in aggregation of beetles upto one month and, thus, avoiding replacement of septa daily.
The cost per sample is Rs 10 only and the product is available at ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru and RARI, Jaipur, Rajasthan. The adult of White grub catches per trap per day was recorded a mean of Rs 17.50/day.
