Indian Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) on termites: Eco-friendly approaches to sustainable management

333-340Despite playing significant role as agricultural pests, termites attracted less attention of researchers in India; on both fronts - traditional and frontier techniques. Present paper is an attempt to collect and compile Indian Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) from various sources on termite management aspects in light of various key-components (cultural, physical, mechanical, biological, etc.) of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) under the aegis of Integrated Crop Management (ICM). We undertook a comprehensive review of farmers’ ITK across India especially in seventeen states in detail, in an effort to outline the underlying principles for termite management. This review confirmed existence of affluent knowledge of local inhabitants/aborigines on termite and their management. Various ITK in termite control is used across India. Review analysis revealed that in some places of India, termites are being used as indicator of various environmental aspects, viz. anticipated rainfall, soil fertility, etc., soil of termite mounds were reported to be used in low risk farming strategies. Use of locally available plants for termite control was a common practice in Indian subcontinent since ages. No doubt ITK have strong potential, but are yet unexplored because of their limitation in scientific scrutiny and authenticity. Even though Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) included many such farmers’ ITK, lack of critical scientific validation has limited their use in wider scale

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Not AvailableNot AvailableIn an emergency response to the introduction, subsequent detection and rapid spread of the invasive insect pest fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) in the country, Government of India ofered ad-hoc approval for few pesticide molecules namely, emamectin benzoate, spinetoram, chlorantraniliprole, novaluron, thiodicarb, and λ-cyhalothrin for FAW management in corn crop across the country. Five major maize (corn) growing geographical areas (i.e., Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Tamil Nadu) were selected during the main crop season of 2020 (Oct-Nov), and sampled for the target-insect populations. The insect populations were lab-reared on maize leaves (15–20 days old); the F1 generation insects (third instar, 25–30 mg/larva) were subjected to bioassay to determine susceptibility levels of FAW against ad-hoc recommended insecticides. The previously reported target-site molecular variations in the genes ace, encoding acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and vgsc, encoding voltage-gated sodium channel were analyzed. Among the fve test-populations, Bihar test-population recorded least susceptibility to all the test-pesticides, whereas the South Indian populations (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu) were found most susceptible. North Indian and South Indian test-insect populations formed two distinct groups in terms of susceptibility levels, speculatively on account of prevailing climatic factors. Being the population with least ace mutation frequency, but with the higher resistance ratio for all the test-pesticides, Bihar insect population implies a bigger role of broad range detoxifcation machinery than the narrow scope of target site insensitivity. Though, resistance has not developed to the recommended insecticides by FAW, except the case of low-medium resistance development; which is better explained due to behavioural avoidance of synthetic pyrethroid (λ-cyhalothrin). However, there is no room for complacency. Resistance-monitoring tools such as location/region-specifc determination of discriminating diagnostic concentrations/doses for FAW in recommended insecticides are to be devised at the earliest.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe present investigation was conducted to study the lethal effect of insecticides recommended for management of tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis spp. on bio-control agent, Trichoderma harzianum. Effect of six insecticides (Bifenthrin 10% EC, Clothianidin 50% WDG, Flonicamid 50% WG, Imidacloprid 17.8% SL, Thiamethoxam 25% WG and Quinalphos 25% EC) with three doses (lower, recommended and higher) on colony growth, antagonism potential and sporulation of Trichoderma harzianum were studied. Quinalphos 25% EC showed high inhibitory effect in all three doses. Recommended dose of Quinalphos caused 72.77, 58.18 and 97.16 per cent reduction in mean colony growth, antagonism potential and sporulation of Trichoderma harzianum respectively. Slight deleterious effect in highest dose (150 ppm) of Bifenthrin 10% EC was recorded with 13.33, 5 and 9.83 percent inhibition in mean colony growth, antagonism potential and sporulation respectively. All other insecticides under investigation were found non toxic at all three doses and were at par with control which indicated the compatibility of these insecticides with Trichoderma harzianum. All the compatible insecticides can be utilized in Integrated Pest Management programme with recommended doses along with Trichoderma harzianum without causing any deleterious effect.Not Availabl