THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With ‘organic’ turning trendy, the Agriculture Department has come out with four bio-control agents for farmers that can replace pesticides.
Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPN), Bacillus thuringiensis and Pochonia chlamydosporia (Bio Nematicide) are being marketed by the State Bio Control Laboratory at Mannuthy in Thrissur, with technical assistance from the ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR), Bengaluru. Beauveria bassiana liquid, meant for banana crop, has been introduced with the help of ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Trichy.
The four products, launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan the other day, were highly effective in combating pests, fully organic and affordable to farmers, a department officer said.
“They are patented products of the two ICAR labs and are very effective in curbing pest attacks. EPN (`75 per 100 gm) for instance, is useful in combating Root grub and pupa of caterpillars,” Honey Mathews, Additional Director, State Bio Control Laboratory, said.
“Of the four agents, Beauveria bassiana liquid (`120 per 250 ml) is produced with assistance from ICAR-NRCB. It is effective for banana crop.
“Earlier, there was a powdered form, but the liquid version is easier for application,” he said. Bacillus thuringiensis (`100 per 100 ml) is a bacterium dwelling in soil and commonly used as a bio-pesticide by farmers.
Pochonia chlamydosporia (`200 per kg) is used as an effective agent against parasitic nematodes.
The bio pesticides are available at the Bio Control Lab, Mannuthy. The lab is also making them available to farmers through Krishi Bhavans on request. There are also plans to courier the products to customers.