The Dr. YSR Horticultural University (Dr. YSRHU), supported by successful experiments on predators of the invasive rugose spiraling whitefly, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with several companies on the mass production of the predator eggs.
Speak with The HinduDr. YSRHU Vice Chancellor Tolety Janakiram said the university had done excellent research on the whitefly. For the first time in the country, the standardization of the predator Pseudomallada astur (P. astur) was carried out. The predator Pseudomallada astur would hold the key to controlling the invasive whitefly, he said.
The university has signed MoUs with private companies to increase production. The agreements were signed with Godrej Agrovet, based in Chintalapudi, West Godavari District, SSD Enterprises (Gopalapatnam, West Godavari District), Cryptox Biosolutions (Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu) and Echocare Ltd. (Trichy, Tamil Nadu) signed.
“The MoUs were concluded for the mass production of the potential predator Pseudomallada astur on a non-exclusive basis,” said Dr. Janakiram.
The VC announced that a capacity building program for the mass reproduction of Corcyra cephalonica (rice moth) and the neuropteran predator Pseudomallada astur has been made available to the technical staff of these companies.
“As part of the program, they received practical training in rearing the host Corcyra cephalonica and the predator Pseudomallada astur. They were taught the entire protocol of the mass rearing of C. cephalonica, the production of Pseudomallada astur and its release technique. The multiplication method has been simplified and the inexpensive technology that can be replicated has been standardized to encourage mass production on a large scale, ”he said.
Mass production occurs on the laboratory surrogate Corcyra cephalonica, and predators, Pseudomallada astur larvae, are raised on these host eggs, he said.
Currently, Varsity’s biocontrol laboratory produces 25 to 30 lakh of predators annually. However, the demand is huge and the company has an indent posting of over a month. The demand for predator eggs is also increasing from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Gujarat.