Jabalpur: TFRI keen to pass on tricho card technology to forest departments for pest control in teak plantations

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI) here is keen on initiating transfer of technology for the production of tricho cards to forest departments in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh for pest control at teak plantations, an official said on Saturday.

The TFRI is one of the eight regional institutes under the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education.

"The TFRI is keen for transfer of technology for the production of tricho cards to the forest departments of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh for pest control at teak plantations in forest areas," the institute's director Dr G Rajeshwar Rao said.

"These states have large areas of forests covered with natural and planted teak trees, hence, we want to transfer the technology of tricho cards production under a license agreement to their forest departments, '' he said.

The TFRI has developed two tricho cards - one parasite trichogramma and another parasite canthecona furcellata - which are predators of pests causing damage to the teak trees, Dr Rao said.

Tricho cards carry eggs of these parasites and they can be fixed on trees, from where the parasites will come out from eggs and spread on the branches, he said.

The parasites are biological agents best to control pest attack in forest areas, where it is difficult to spray chemicals, he said.

According to entomologists, 48 per cent of pest control is possible through tricho cards, the official said, adding that five cards can be used in a hectare of teak plantations.

The cards can also be used by farmers for pest control in teak plantations, he said.