Department of Entomology Nauni Solan (HP)

Dr SC Verma
Professor & Head

The Department of Entomology came into existence as a Section of Entomology in the then Himachal Pradesh Agricultural College and Research Institute, Chambaghat, Solan in 1966 - an affiliate of Punjab University, Chandigarh. With the creation of Himachal Pradesh University in 1970, it became a full-fledged department of this University and later on Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur in 1978. Finally, in 1985, the Department became an integral part of Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry. The Department has six sections viz., Fruit Entomology, Vegetable Entomology, Apiculture, Biocontrol, Toxicology and Nematology and imparts education to all the streams from Undergraduate to Post Graduate levels. The Department is playing a significant role in the development of technologies for the management of various insect pests, mites and nematodes in fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops. Besides to this the department is engaged in the development and dissemination of beekeeping technologies to cater the need of farmers of the State. The Department is having State of the Art Pesticide Residue testing laboratory which is pioneer in itself and fully accredited by the NABL. The department is also conferring its services to corporate sector by testing of new insecticides for their release in the State of Himachal Pradesh.

Mandate

  • To develop trained human resource in the field of entomology through resident instructions at undergraduate and postgraduate degree level.
  • To develop ecologically sound management strategies for horticultural ecosystems with regard to insects, non-insect arthropod pests and plant-parasitic nematodes.
  •  Provide advisory services to farmers for pest and pollinator management and to extend technical know-how to the extension functionaries of the state governments.

Strengths

  • Modern laboratory facilities for diagnosis of insect and mite infestation in horticultural/ forest crops through latest technologies based on molecular analysis.
  • Capability of production of biocontrol agents on commercial bases that can be used for the management of insect pests in horticultural crops.
  • World class modern facilities for the estimation of insecticidal residues from all types of edible commodities.
  • Provision for testing of new insecticidal/acaricidal formulations from private and public sector industries.

Academics

The department offers degree programmes for:

  • M.Sc. (Agriculture Entomology)
  • Ph.D. Entomology
Click here for course details

Achievements

  • More than 10 no. of Ph.D. Scholars have been placed in various educational institutes as Assistant Professor and in private industries at higher ranks for R&D purposes during the last two academic years.
  • In recent years, 12 number of students achieved ICAR NET qualification.

PG Class Room

Laboratory of Biological Control

Research

Thrust Areas

  • To work on plant health management in fruits, vegetables, ornamental crops and forest plants by focusing on insect pests and mites, biocontrol agents and nematodes infesting horticultural crops. 
  • To strengthen research in documentation, multiplication and conservation of Indian honeybee and breeding of Indian bee through artificial insemination. Intensify studies on pollinator conservation and management.
  • To develop and disseminate the ecologically sound technologies for the management of insect pests of horticultural crops and provide them to farmers in the form of package of practices. 
  • To work out the pesticide residues for the fixation of MRLs in various horticultural crops. 
  • Standardization of mass multiplication of potential bio-control agents and botanical pesticides for developing integrated pest management strategies.
  • ICAR - All India Co-Ordinated Research Project on Pesticide Residue. 
  • ICAR - All India Co-Ordinated Research Project on Monitoring of pesticide Residues. 
  • ICAR - All India Co-Ordinated Research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators.
  • ICAR - All India Co-Ordinated Research Project on Biological Control of insect pests.
  • ICAR - All India Co-Ordinated Research Project on Nematodes in Agriculture. 
  • Enhancing Farm Income Through Climate Resilient Subhash Palekar Natural Farming System in Horticulture Ecosystems funded by Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh. 
  • Comparative Analysis of Natural and Conventional Farming Practices in Apple in Himachal Pradesh funded by Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh). 
  • Studies on the effect of natural farming practices on crop productivity under Horticulture based cropping system. Funded by Director of Research, UHF Nauni-Solan. 
  • Honey and other hive products production model for sustainable high-hill bee keeping in Himachal Pradesh funded by National Bee Board. 
  • ICAR Research Grant - Out scaling of Fruit Fly traps for the management of Fruit Flies in different crops. 
  • ICAR Research Grant - Management of root knot nematode under protected cultivation. 
  • Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project (HPHDP)- Component: Plant Protection (Entomology) funded by World Bank. 
  • Pollination management Component under Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project funded by World Bank. 
  • Sponsored Trial/Testing fees for residue detection funded by corporate sector. 
  • Sponsored Trial/Testing fees for bioefficacy against the insect pests and mites funded by corporate sector.
  • Department hosted 30th Annual Review workshop of All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues organised at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, HP on June 20-21, 2022.
  • Department is contributing as key R and D facility for the formulation of complete package of practices for the management of insect pests of fruit crops including apple and pear, stone fruits other temperate fruits and all the vegetable crops that are grown in various zones of the state.
  • The department has developed the package of practices for the management of insect pests of fruit and vegetable crops, honeybee and guidelines for the pollinator services.
  • The department has developed the state wide accepted spray schedules for insect and mite’s pests of apple, mango and citrus, stone fruits for the farmers of the state.
  • The department is pioneer in introduction and establishment of Italian honeybees in the state and honey bee management development especially in hilly region of the country.
  • The department has developed the effective technologies for the conservation management of Apis cerana indica in the state.
  • The department is pioneer in the development of bumble bee rearing technology which is an integral part of managed pollination services.
  • The department is pioneer in having state - of- the art insecticide toxicology laboratory that is NABL accredited and is working on the detection of insecticide residues from various fruits and vegetables.
  • The department's toxicology section validated 106 pesticides using the QuEChERS approach on GCMSMS and LCMSMS. On GCMSMS, 69 pesticides were verified, while 37 pesticides were validated on LCMSMS.
  • The center is conducting pesticide residue monitoring research in various kinds of agricultural commodities, surface water, and soil. Since April 2009, a total of 13,599 samples have been examined, with 3,116 samples found to be contaminated with different pesticide residues and 298 samples (2-3%) confirmed to have pesticide residues over FSSAI MRL's.
  • The department has actively developed the various modules for the insect management in natural farming system.
  • The department effectively transferred various technologies to the farmers and orchardists of the state through field demonstrations, training camps, radio/TV talks and individual contact.
  • The department has developed effective technologies in the management of nematodes of fruits, vegetables and ornamental crops.

Extension

  • Farm Advisory service: The insect pest’s specimens received from individual farmers and Govt. department are regularly identified and effective advisory is provided.
  • Demonstration trials: The scientists of the department conducted field demonstration along with trainings on the insect pest’s management and apicultural aspects.
  • Radio/Doordarshan talks: The scientists of the department are delivering radio and doordarshan talks on important insect pests and mites affecting fruits, vegetables, ornamentals and their management.
  • Kisan mela/Fair/crop field days: The scientists of the department participated in kisan mela/ fair/crop field days organized in the campus or outside the station and get involved in interaction sessions with farmers pertaining to their crop problems.
  • The department has organized Trainings to farmers, resource persons, development officers of State Departments and trainers on different aspects of beekeeping w.e.f. 2012 to 2022. A total of 68 trainings on beekeeping, insect pest mangment in fruit crops and biological control of insect pests viz. (13 Nos.) scientific beekeeping (3 Nos.), basic apiculture (1 No.), Commercial Beekeeping under Entrepreneurship Development Programme for SC (1 No.), awareness camps on management of honeybees and pollination for farmers/ beekeepers of tribal areas (2 Nos.), beekeeping under watershed management programme (1 No.), Hands on training and workshop on pollinators and pollination services for parataxonomist (1 No.), Awareness on honeybee diseases (1 No.), training on temperate fruit production (1 No.), 21 day training on bee breeding (4 Nos.), 10 day training on bumblebee rearing (2 Nos.), 5 day refresher courses on bee breeding (4 Nos.), 5 day refresher course on bumblebee rearing (3 Nos.), one day awareness and demonstration camps on apple pollination (13 Nos.), awareness programmes on beekeeping and pollination (11 Nos.), one day demonstration on bumblebee pollination (1 No.), International training on bumblebee rearing (1 No.), trainings on insect pest management in High Density apple orchards (2 Nos.) and trainings on biological control of insect pests management (3 Nos.) etc. Besides to this the ACRIP on pesticides also conducted five awareness camps in 2019-20 and seven awareness camps in 2021-22 in the apple and vegetable growing areas of Himachal Pradesh under SCSP on safe and judicious use of pesticides and Preparation of pesticides spray solution and application. Organised two trainings on Subhash Palekar Natural Farming.

Farmer's training at UHF Nauni

Awards/Recognitions

  • All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators, Solan centre awarded as best reporting centre in country during 2013 (as team member) by ICAR- All India Coordinated research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators
  • All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators, Solan centre awarded as best research centre in country during 2016 (as team member) by ICAR- All India Coordinated research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators
  • All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators, Solan centre awarded as best TSP centre in country during 2016 (as team member) by ICAR- All India Coordinated research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators
  • All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators, Solan centre awarded as best research centre in country during 2019 (as team member) by ICAR- All India Coordinated research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators
  • Dr Tanuja Banshtu received Young Entomologist Award-2021 in “5th International Conference on Advances in Agriculture, Environmental and Biosciences for Sustainable Development (AAEBSSD)” w.e.f. August 05-07, 2021 organized by Agro Environmental Development Society (AEDS), Majhra Ghat, Rampur, U.P, India.
  • All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators, Solan centre awarded as second-best reporting centre in country during 2022 (as team leader/PI) by ICAR- All India Coordinated research Project on Honey bees and Pollinators.

Farmer's training at UHF Nauni

Facilities

    Research Labs: 

    Department of Entomology is having six sections and the laboratories under each section are equipped with all modern and state-of-the-art facilities.

    • Pesticide Residue Laboratory: A modern Pesticide Residue Laboratory is NABL accredited and consists of GC MS MS, Gas Chromatographs, LCMS MS, HPLC, one Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer and one UV-VIS-spectrophotometer.
    • Fruit Entomology Laboratory: Fruit Entomology Laboratory is equipped with Molecular detection facilities like PCR, Gel Doc, Gel-electrophoresis etc. It is having stereo zoom microscope equipped with digital imaging system and insect rearing facility etc.
    • Vegetable Entomology Laboratory: Vegetable Entomology Laboratory is equipped with BOD incubators, stereo zoom microscope, compound microscope, oven, micro applicator and insect rearing facility etc.
    • Apiculture Laboratory: Apiculture Laboratory /Bee pathology laboratory was established and upgraded with the addition of ultracentrifuge, trinocular microscope with photomicrography facility, infra-red photography and image analysis system, lyophilizer, gel-electrophoresis, refrigerated centrifuge, etc. Bumble bee rearing facilities and Apiculture field laboratory was also established.
    • Biological control laboratory: Biological control laboratory is equipped with Modern insect culture room, oven, stereo microscope, compound microscope, BOD incubator, fermenter, environmental chamber and facilities for rearing of natural enemies.
    • Nematology Laboratory: Nematology Laboratory is equipped with modern facilities like compound microscope with imaging system, gel documentation system, centrifuge, electrophoresis, soil washing room for the extraction of nematodes etc

    Other facilities:

    • Experimental Farm: The department of Entomology is having 30 bigha farm facilities for field trials. The farm also has established Apis cerana colonies under bee village concept and apiary of Apis mellifera.
    • Vehicles: Department has two vehicles to cater the need of Research and Development.
    • Academics: The Department has one PG lecture theatre.

Gallery

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image