AINP on Soil Arthropod Pests, AAU, Jorhat
About All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests
The ICAR- All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests (AINP-SAP), previously known as AINP on White grubs and Other Soil Arthropods, was initiated in 1982 to conduct research for formulating long term and short-term strategies of management of soil arthropod pests. In the EFC meeting held in 2014, the name of the project was changed to “All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests”. At present, there are 5 main centres across India i.e. RARI, Durgapura (Rajasthan), AAU, Jorhat (Assam), UAS, Bengaluru (Karnataka), CSK HPKV, Palampur (Himachal Pradesh) and JAU, Junagadh (Gujarat) besides 7 volunteer centres at VPKAS, Almora (Uttarakhand); SKAUST (Jammu); NBAIR, Bengaluru (Karnataka); FARMER, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh); Dr. YSPUHF, Solan (Himachal Pradesh), SBI, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Kolhapur (Maharashtra). The AINP-SAP, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat Centre was launched in 2004 during the 10th plan (2002-2007) by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address the problems of white grubs and other related soil arthropod pests in North East India. This centre operates under the establishment of Directorate of Research (Agriculture), Assam Agricultural University and is situated in the Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat. Since inception, AINP-SAP has been intimately involved in unravelling the bio-ecology, behaviour and life cycle of some of the economically important soil insect pests of North East India and have generated effective management techniques to combat the problem of such pests. The Centre has been conferred with “Excellent Centre” among all the centres across India in 2011, 2015 and 2017.
Vision
To develop simple, economic, safe and practical integrated technology for the management of white grubs and other soil arthropod pests under different agro-climatic conditions and cropping systems in North East India.
Mission
- Serving as a key agency in NE India for the pilot survey of soil arthropod pests in different crops and devising integrated approaches for their management
- Isolating and identifying biocontrol agents from different climatic zones of the region and evaluating their efficacy against soil arthropod pests
- Coordinating research on soil arthropod pests at regional level
- Disseminating information and impart training on soil arthropod pests’ management
Objectives
- Development of eco-friendly, bio-intensive integrated management strategies for soil arthropod pests such as white grubs, termite, cutworms, field cricket, mole cricket, oriental army ants etc.
- Identification of local isolates of virulent host-specific pathogens (Entomopathogenic bacteria, fungi, virus and nematodes) for the management of soil arthropod pests
- Isolation and identification of pheromones of key phytophagous white grub species of different agro-ecological zones
- To study the biodiversity, behaviour and crop losses with regard to soil arthropod pests to develop eco-friendly integrated management strategy
Email: ainp.sap@aau.ac.in
Projects
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On Going
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AAU R&D sponsored project on "Identification of soil microfauna for bioremediation of pesticide contaminated soils of certain vegetable growing areas of Assam", project cost Rs.17 Lakh
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Completed
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DBT, Govt. of India sponsored project on "Multifaceted exploration of edible molluscs of North East India", project cost Rs.51 Lakh implemented in 2018.
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ICAR sponsored project on "Synthesis and field evaluation of pheromones for root grub, Lepidiota mansueta", project cost Rs.3 Lakh implemented in 2016.
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DBT, Govt. of India sponsored project on "Exploration of microfauna as biological indicators and bioremediation of some degraded soil ecosystem of Assam", project cost Rs.24 Lakh implemented in 2013.
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AAU- State sponsored sponsored project on "Farmers’ participatory approach for community-based management of Lepidiota mansueta: An emerging severe key pest in Majuli Island, Assam", project cost Rs.1 Lakh implemented in 2012.
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DBT-AAU Centre sponsored project on "Pesticidal activity, compatibility, safety and development of herbal veterinary product from physic nut, Jatropha curcas", project cost Rs.9 Lakh implemented in 2012.
Achivements
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Significant Achievements of All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests, AAU, Jorhat
- Identified 54 number of scarab beetle species from different parts of Assam, out of which 50 species are new records. Also, documented the extent of damage caused by some of the species in economically important crops such as potato, sugarcane, Colocasia, green gram etc.
- Identified 13 number of termite species from different parts of Assam and documented the extent of damage caused by the termite species Odontotermes obesus in economically important crops such as sugarcane, wheat, maize, tea, citrus and bamboo. Distribution map of termite’s diversity of Assam has also been prepared.
- A local isolate of Entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Entomopathogenic fungi, Clonostachys rosea has been successfully isolated from naturally infected white grubs and exploration of the isolates for managing different soil insect pests both in laboratory and field conditions were made.
- Farmers Participatory Approach (FPA) was conducted for the adult management of Lepidiota mansueta (a biennial species of white grub) in Majuli river island of Assam by involving 400 farmers from 40 white grub endemic villages during 2010-2023. This eco-friendly approach was exceedingly successful leading to massive collection and killing of about 13.51 lakhs of beetles. Impact analysis of the approach revealed the savings of approx. Rs. 2.0 crores in respect of plant protection appliances including insecticides etc. in managing the pest. The project also entered the “India Book of Records” for collecting the highest number of L. mansueta beetles i.e. 73,700 in a time span of 3 hours in collaboration with 100 farmers through FPA.
- By observing the acceptance of Lepidiota beetles and pupa as culinary delight by the populace of Majuli, complete nutritional profiling was done and first ever attempts were made to convert a pest in to cuisine in India. Nutritional profiling of altogether 24 different species of edible insects of North East India have been studied and documented.
- In extension front, the project team successfully implemented TSP activities and received Rs. 1.88 crore from ICAR during 2015-2023. Wide varieties of assistances/material incentives were provided to 40 numbers of Lepidiota Management Groups (400 beneficiary farmers) of Majuli. Some innovative tools of social engineering viz., awareness T-shirt, awareness calendar, awareness cap, awareness stickers, awareness rain head umbrella, awareness cup and awareness wall hanging plate were also distributed to the farmers groups to create general awareness for the mass campaigning programme. Extension bulletins, leaflets (in both Assamese and tribal language), hand books were also distributed among the farmers and other stakeholders. Extensive awareness and training programmes were also conducted in different time intervals to give insights about the management.
- Contributed in Human resource development in terms of successfully guiding 11 Ph. D & 15 M.Sc. students in Entomology who are now serving in different capacities at AAU, ICAR, state department of Agriculture and other R&D sectors.
- Developed and recommended 10 technologies for inclusion in package of practices (PoP) for rabi and kharif crops in Assam which are as follows:
- Three budded sugarcane setts may be dipped in solution of chlorpyriphos 20EC @ 2ml/L for 30 minutes before preserving the setts in deep trench trash cover method.
- Soil application of quinalphos 25EC @ 400 g a.i./ha in furrows before sowing of potato tubers to reduce the infestation of white grubs.
- Furrow application of Chlorpyriphos 20EC @ 0.06% (or chlorpyriphos 300g a.i./ha) before sowing of potato tubers to reduce the infestation of red ants (Dorylus orientalis).
- Management of termites by application of Clothianidin 50WDG @ 1g/L in preserved setts of sugarcane.
- Pre-sowing soil application of Clothianidin 50WDG @ 120g a.i./ha (0.5g/L of water) in seed furrows against white grubs in potato.
- Use of oil-based bait (Rice bran oil + Boric acid @ 50:50 parts) to attract red ants, Dorylus orientalis in potato.
- Soil drenching of clothianidin 50 WDG @ 250 g/ha (125g a.i./ha or 1g/2L of water) in 2nd fortnight of December for management of termites in tea.
- Soil drenching of clothianidin 50 WDG @ 250 g/ha (125g a.i./ha or 1g/2L of water) at 35-40 days after planting is effective for managing white grubs in Colocasia.
- IPM package for managing white grubs and other soil insect pests of potato in Assam.
- Drenching of termite mound soil with entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora @ 5.0×109 IJS/ mound for three times at one month interval is effective for managing termites.
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Awards & Recognition
- National Award: 3 (Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Award for Outstanding Research in Tribal Farming Systems, 2014, Dr. H.K. Jain CAU Award 2015-16 & India Book of Records)
- Institutional Award:1 (AAU Best Researcher Award, 2018)
- Best Oral Presentation Award in International/ Nation Seminar/ Conference/ Symposium etc.: 4
- Awards in Exhibition: 3
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Patents
- Development of a Jatropha based ointment as herbal remedy for livestock against ectoparasites and pathogenic microorganisms and process for obtaining the same (Application No. 201931013419A published on 9th October, 2020)
- Use of empty shell of Giant African Snail (Achatina fulica) as lighting lamp (Diya) (Application No. 202031024498A published on 17th December, 2021)
