Developed and promoted bio control agent production at farm level for improving pest management in agricultural lands through integrated pest management methods.
The reduviids (Coranus spiniscutis.) are abundant, occur worldwide and are highly successful polyphagous predators and they play a vital role in the biocontrol of insect pests such as rice meal moth, (Corcyra cephalonica) and leaf armyworm (Spodopter litura.)
This activity is supported and financially funded by viruthai millets farmers Producer Company limited and implemented with the help of engaging women FIG members of Vadamalaikurichi village, Virudhunagar Block. “Tell to pest we are on the way” – Assassins Bug Bio control agents production for pest controlling
Millets are a cheaper and local alternative for healthy foods. VMFPCL get marketing support through various trade fair participation and promotional activities held by government department and its ownAn alternative to pesticides and poisons usage we used biological which is the use of a pest's natural predators in controlling their populations in order to minimize their impact on economic and environmental practices.
Virudhunagar is rain fed agricultural farming belt and farmers cannot afford huge amounts towards pest control measures hence, introducing the best pest control measures in a long term effective way is a mandatory task.
Moreover, we have included rural women in this activity for rearing and production of Assassin bugs (Reduviidae) which predates on vast insect pests like Spodaptera sp. Helicoverpa sp. Most import pests affecting maize, cotton and major vegetable crop. Inclusion of women SHG in this activity enhances women empowerment through additional income to the farming family.
The self-satisfaction of rural women will be increased because of their important and effective contribution towards alarming and ever ending problem of pest incidence facing by the farmers is being meet out by their family women.
Bio control agents production training program for managing pest incidence in agriculture given to 3 FIGs.
It is a very specific strategy. The vast majority of the time, whatever predator is introduced will only control the population of the pest they are meant to target, making it a green alternative to chemical or mechanical control methods.
Natural enemies introduced to the environment are capable of sustaining themselves, often by reducing whatever pest population, they are supposed to manage. This means that after the initial introduction, very little effort is required to keep the system running fluidly. It also means that biological control can be kept in place for a much longer time than other methods of pest control.
Biological control can be cost effective in the long run. Although it may cost a bit to introduce a new species to an environment, it's a tactic that only needs to be applied once due to its self-perpetuating nature.
Most important of all, it's effective. Whatever the pest population to be controlled will no doubt be controlled. Because the predator introduced will be naturally inclined to target the pests, very often we'll see the pest population dwindle.