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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | NBRI’s fungus to tackle pests attacking pulses

NBRI’s fungus to tackle pests attacking pulses

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published Published on May 12, 2011   modified Modified on May 12, 2011
The production of pulses in the country has been hit by a pest called pod borer. The common pest which attacks all pulses, chick pea, pigeon pea, gram, groundnut and lentils is a cause of worry for farmers in several states. The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) has developed a technology based on Beauveria bassiana, a fungus, which is effective against pod borer of chick pea and pigeon pea and also termites of field crops. The technology was transferred on the occasion of national technology day on Wednesday to Balaji crop care for commercialisation. "This fungus attacks the pest and chokes its intestine thus killing it," said HB Singh, professor, department of mycology and plant pathology, BHU. Singh while in his tenure at NBRI had developed the technology.

NBRI had transferred the technology to UP government in 2006. A licence from central insecticide board is needed to start the commercial production of the biopesticide. The state government got the provisional licence and though it is producing and selling it to farmers, the fact is that production is still little.

The technology being transferred to an industry will help in not only increasing the production, but also making it popular. However, the company will take a year or so to start the commercial production of the technology because it needs a licence. Some other states might also be producing the technology but they cannot sell it because they do not possess a licence. It is a highly subsidised bio-pesticide. Farmer has to bear only 10% of the cost, as 90% is borne by the government. Before NBRI worked on it, the technology was already available in the market.

"NBRI developed a better version," said Singh. The technology already available in the market is not popular because it has a shelf life of not more than four months. "NBRI technology can last upto a year if stored at room temperature," said Singh.

It is also a safe replacement of chemical pesticides. However, currently farmers are using more of chemical pesticides, because it has instant result, while bio-pesticide takes at least 10 to 15 days to free the plants of pests. The government is working towards creating awareness about the technology.

The pod-borer is a pest that reduces production of pulses and leguminous plants by 30 to 50% every year. The said technology can be of use in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Bihar along with Uttar Pradesh. It can be of much help to sugarcane farmers in western UP, who lose their crop to termites.

The Times of India, 12 May, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/NBRIs-fungus-to-tackle-pests-attacking-pulses/articleshow/8260118.cms


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