TNAU signs pact to develop safer pest-control technology

In the backdrop of Kerala government’s accusation that vegetables cultivated in Tamil Nadu contain more than the permissible limit of pesticides, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has renewed an MOU with a research centre to develop safer pest-control technologies.
 

TNAU is undertaking multi-dimensional research to develop more eco-friendly and consumer-safe pest control methods that farmers can adopt. It is collaborating with Sun-Agro Biotech Research Centre (SABRC), which is also developing eco-friendly crop protection technologies like bio-pesticides, bio-control agents and insect-trapping systems, besides studying their impact on the environment. SABRC has internationally experienced experts to conduct its research, TNAU said in a release.
 

Through this collaboration, which has now completed three years, several promising leads have been found to evolve widely adoptable eco-safe pest management methods. These include extended shelf life of the bio-control agent trichogramma, enhanced potency of botanical bio-pesticides based on sweet flag, more efficient pheromone trap designs to attract pests like fruit flies and crop borers.
 

The TNAU-SABRC collaboration agreement was renewed on last Friday by signing a fresh MoU for the next three years. While Registrar C R Anandakumar represented TNAU, S Sithanantham represented SABRC, the release said.
 

They expect to jointly develop more eco-friendly pest-control methods in the near future so that farmers have a wider choice.
 

The release also said that that farmers in Tamil Nadu are geared to shift from using chemical pesticides. This would make farming more sustainable and ensure that the produce is safe for consumers.
 

They are also aware of the profitability of market-oriented cultivation, especially of growing of horticultural crops, which require safer pest-control practices. Organic farming is also gaining popularity as a way of sustaining natural resources at the farm level, the release added.