ENTOMOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY
The Department of Entomology at the College of Agriculture, Bikaner came into existence since the establishment of College in 1988. It was established with the specific objectives of developing skilled and efficient human resource in the field of entomology and evolving strategies for management of pests of various crops and developing location specific modules for management of insect pests in cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, oilseeds and estimation of pesticide residues. Local isolates of various biocontrol agents are being identified for their utilization as potential biocontrol agents to minimize pesticide pressure. The department offers under graduate and post graduate programmes to generate quality human resource. The Department has got one UG, PG laboratory and an Insect Museum which cater to the needs of students for conducting practical and imparting identification skills for the respective programmes. The M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes in the department started from 2000 and 2012., respectively. The Department also undertakes extension activities in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Station, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and imparts need based training to farmers and agricultural officers.
Thrust area
- Survey and surveillance of major insect-pests of crops in the State for development of prediction models.
- Monitoring & forecasting of insect-pests, development of linkages in biosystematics with other projects for evolving suitable pest management strategies and effective Regulatory measures.
- Monitoring and management of insecticide resistance in insect-pests.
- Development of bio-pesticides.
- Conservation, enhancement and release of bio-control agents.
- Development of integrated pest management technology for major insect-pests & nematodes under open as well as protected conditions.
- Eco friendly pest management based on host plant resistance, behaviour modifying chemicals, plant products and tritrophic interactions.
- Residue analysis of insecticides in vegetables, tea, honey and milk.
- Isolation, identification and characterization of microbial agents and their mass production for pest management.
- Molecular systematic for authentic insect-pests identification
- Strengthening of lecture theatres for E-learning, laboratories for basic research and establishment of repository of natural enemies of crop pests.
Objective
The major objective of the department is to maintain an inventory of major insect/vertebrate pests of crops and develop suitable technologies for minimizing the production losses caused by them. At present division has focused its effort to develop integrated pest management technologies.
- Survey, surveillance and taxonomical identification of major agricultural insect pest and their predators, parasitoids and parasites in each crop commodity.
- Develop suitable components for IPM technologies
- Develop technologies based on bio-control methods to manage insect pests and weeds.
- Develop suitable technologies based on botanicals and organic products to manage insect / non-insect pests (mite, snail, slug and rodent).
- Develop technologies to minimize hazardous effect on human health and environment caused due to injudicious use of synthetic chemical insecticides.
- Develop suitable mass rearing technologies for economically important insects.
- Develop suitable technologies for rodent management.
Faculty
| S.No. | Name | Designation |
| 1 | Dr. Hanuman Lal Deshwal | Professor & Head |
| 2 | Dr. V. S. Acharya | Associate Professor |
| 3 | Dr. S.K. Yadav | Assistant Professor |
| 4 | Dr. B.S. Mitharwal | Assistant Professor |
Infrastructure and other facilities
- Well-furnished undergraduate and postgraduate laboratories
- Biosystematics Research Laboratory – comprising preserved insects, research microscopes, fluorescence microscope.
- Insect proof climate control chamber facility for conducting entomological studies under controlled climate conditions.
- Facility for insect rearing
- Stored product laboratory for rearing of insects and modeling safe storage structures and the fumigation.
- Laboratory with Internet facility.
Farm facilities:
- Experimental farm having screen houses for pot or cage studies,
- Insect Growth Chamber, Environmental Chambner for Research purposes
Extension Activities
The Department is actively engaged in extension activities of its own and of KVK at Bikaner and Loonkaransar. It offers advice and consultancies in pest diagnostics, pest management and conducts front line farmer-field demonstrations and participation in farmers’ fairs and has a well-staffed plant health clinic.