The division is involved in research on insect pests and diseases of important tree species of the region and to develop protocol for their management. This division has been carrying out researches on insect pest and diseases of nursery plantations and natural forest and mycorrhiza since the seventies when it was a division of erstwhile Regional Forest Research Centre (RFRC).  The division has developed integrated insect pest and disease control models for ecofriendly management of pests, diseases of nursery, plantations and natural forest of central India. Looking to the environmental hazards and high cost of fungicides, integrated management techniques including bio-control measures for important diseases have been developed for field users. The researchers of the division also investigate the queries on insect pest and disease problems raised by the state forest department, NGOs and farmers and suggest suitable management practices for techniques of their control. Research on the application of bio-fertilizers (VAM fungi, Rhizobium, Frankia and other free nitrogen fixing bacteria including PSBs) are being tested to boost up the growth of tree species. Establishment of infrastructure for insect pathology, biological control laboratory, insectary and other emerging frontiers on Forest Protection. This division is actively engaged in the different fields of Forest Entomology and Forest Pathology research in central India. TFRI Tricho-card technology developed by the divisions to control Teak defoliator and Teak skeletonizer is also demonstrated to the stakeholder by organizing training/workshop and field exposures. Insect repository has recognized by NBA and housed specimens of 780 insect species, which is utilized as reference collection by visitors and researches for insect identification. Division have mycological herbarium which have collection of 4000 fungal specimens.

Mandate

• Basic and strategic research in forest diseases and pests.
• Taxonomic studies on forest fungi and insects.

Activities

Research

• Identification of major forest insect pests, diseases and their natural enemies in nurseries, plantations and natural forests of tropical forest trees and their damage assessment.
• Biology, ecology and seasonal history of the major insect pests in laboratory and field.
• Investigations on ecofriendly and biorational alterations of insect pests along with the conventional methods.
• Development of integrated pest management (IPM) strategy for management of major forest insect pests and diseases in nurseries, plantations and natural forests.
• Identification of alien forest invasive insect species (AFIIS), their damage assessment and management.
• Work on mycorrhiza: Evaluated rhizospheric mycorrhiza of Teak, Neem, Sissoo and many other forest tree species.

Trainings

• Organized one day training programme on "Biological control of teak pests through TFRI-Tricho cards (Trichogramma raoi)" for front line staff of Madhya Pradesh Rajya Van Vikas Nigam Ltd., Bhopal on 13/08/2018 at TFRI, Jabalpur.
• Organized 30 days training programme on "Forest Entomology and Pest Control" under Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) for graduate and post-graduate students from 29/01/2019 to 28/02/2019
• Organized three days training programme on “Biological Control of Sal Borer and Teak Skeletonizer/Defoliator insects” for frontline staff of Forest department on 21, 23, 25 November 2019 at  Durg Circle, Raipur Circle and Bilaspur Circle (C.G.)
• Organized two days training programme on "Biodiversity of Satpura plateau with special reference to dependencies of Tribals” for SFD’s, Farmers and Herbal healers on 21 and 22 December 2019 at Batkakhapa and Khutama, Chhindwara (M.P.)
• Organized two days training programme on “Bio control efficacy of spiders against insect pests of rice raising in irrigated” for farmer’s on 04 and 05 March 2020 at JNKVV and Pariyat nursery, Jabalpur.

Consultancy Services

1. Dr. Pwan Kumar, Scientist-E and Shri Ram Bhajan Singh, T.O. visited Range- Harrwaha and Range- Umariya, Project Division Umariya (M.P.) to investigate problem of Dying of Teak plants, dated 12-13 August, 2019.
2. Dr. Pwan Kumar, Scientist-E As a reviewer, reviewed research project ‘Systematic studies on the Superfamily Gelechioidea (Microlepidoptera) from North-western Himalaya, India’ file no: CRG/2018/001541/as (Ver-1) under the SERB, DST GoI Core Research Grant Scheme.
3. Dr. Pwan Kumar, Scientist-E Reviewed research article "Importance of the Chaetotaxy in Larval Identification of Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) along with some Notes on its Life History's" (ZSI Publication).
4. Shri Ram Bhajan Singh, T.O. and Shri R.K. Malviya, T.O.  visited Mohgaon Project Division, Mandla (M.P.) to investigate problem of Teak defoliator & skeketonizer insect attack in teak on October, 2017.
5. Shri Nahar Singh Mawai, S.T.O. and Shri Ram Bhajan Singh, T.O. visited Rahatgaon Forest Range, Harda Forest Division, M.P. to investigate problem of Teak defoliator & skeketonizer insect attack in teak dated 29-31 October, 2018.
6. Shri Nahar Singh Mawai, S.T.O. and Shri Ram Bhajan Singh, T.O. visited Khalwa Forest Range, Khandwa Forest Division, M.P. to investigate problem of insect attack in teak dated 16-18 February, 2019.
7. Dr. Nitin Kulkarni, Scientist-G, Dr. P.B. Meshram, Scientist-F and Dr. R.K. Verma, Scientist-F visited Bendarchua, Range- Ratanpur, Forest Division Bilaspur (C.G.) to investigate of pest problem in Sal plantation, dated 08.11.2016.
8. Shri Subhas Chandra, Scientist-D and Shri Ram Bhajan Singh, T.O. visited Range- Seoni, Barghat Project Division, Seoni (M.P.) to investigate problem of Teak defoliator & skeketonizer insect attack in teak nursery on August, 2017.

Others

The division has developed integrated insect pest and disease control models for ecofriendly management of pests, diseases of nursery, plantations and natural forest of central India.

Integrated pest management of white grubs in teak nursery

Field investigations carried out during the period resulted in first report of three new white grub species, Holotrichia rustica, H. mucida and Schizonycha ruficollis damaging teak seedlings in central India. For investigating the effective management practices under the Integrated Pest Management, required detailed bioecology of these new white grub species was investigated in the affected teak nursery at Ramdongari, Nagpur, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), Nagpur. Using the available data on the incidence, duration of activity, period of availability of adults and grubs, Integrated Pest Management model was proposed under the project. The model included integration of mechanical, cultural (silvicultural), chemical and biological control options for the effective management of these dreaded insect pests of teak in forest nurseries. The activities were demonstrated to the nursery manager and field staff and a detailed report submitted to the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), which included model guidelines for the management of white grubs. The research results were published in reputed National and International peer reviewed scientific journals.

Biological control

Mass rearing technique of egg parasitoid  Trichogramma raoi in laboratory.

Release of indigenous egg parasitoid, Trichogramma raoi @ 1.25 lakh/ha found effective in minimizing at least 50% damage impact caused by teak pests, Hyblaea puiera and Eutectona machaeralis.

Sal heartwood borer

A white crystalline compound separated from ethanol extract of sal bark recrystallized in benzene acted as kairomone against sal borer beetles.

 A new method of direct killing of sal borers developed by spraying of 0.05% water emulsion of endosulfan on beaten sal logs as trap to attract beetles without loosing its effectiveness.

In Forest Pathology

1. Application of beneficial soil microbes and organic amendment enhances survival and growth of sandal seedlings.

2. Strains of different biofertilizers (AM fungi, Rhizobia, Azotobacter, PSB) were collected from MP, MS, CG and Orissa and the efficient strains isolated by field and laboratory experiments.

3. Application of AM fungi in combination with Azotobacter and Azospirillum facilitated growth of teak and bamboo significantly.

4. Application of Organic fertilizers and organic pesticides in Forest Nurseries of MPSFD R&E facilitates growth of seedlings significantly.

Contact:

Shr. A. J. K. Asaiya

Head

Forest Protection Division

Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur (MP) - 482021

Phone: +91-761-2840634, 2744153 (O)

E-mail:hod_fp_tfri@icfre.org