The European Group for
Integrated Pest Management in
Development Cooperation

Identification of damaging white grub species in Nepal and their control with entomopathogenic fungi

Purpose

Knowledge transfer enabling local people to identify target species and to produce mycoinsecticides that can be used for a sustainable pest control and that avoids risks to the environment, to human beings and to biodiversity.

Objectives

• Advise on, test and demonstrate methods and approaches which contribute to the development of a system for mass production of entomopathogenic fungi in Nepal.
• Explore with local counterparts methods and approaches which contribute to the development of a mycoinsectide for the market.
• Advise on, test and demonstrate methods which permit the development of a monitoring system for the efficacy of the treatments and for the quality of the product.
• Advise on the development of a monitoring system that allows studies on life cycles of scarabs
• Providing keys for the identification of scarabs
• Providing a reference collection of scarabs
• Improving the knowledge and the skills of local scientists and technicians

Strategy

The development of a mass production system for entomopathogenic fungi is a prerequisite for a sustainable management of the white grubs and many other pest insects. The system can be adapted to the requirements of other beneficial fungal species that can be used to control other pest insects. Basically such a system is simple and local production is possible. Basic knowledge on the target species contributes to the management of the environmentally sound biocontrol.

Taskforce Leader

Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture, Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, CH

Partners

• University of Basel, CH
• Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Zentrum für Agrarlandschafts- und Landnutzungsforschung, Müncheberg, Germany
• Helvetas Nepal
• Sustainable Soil Management Programme, Nepal (SDC)
• Institut of Agricultural and Animal Sciences (IAAS) of Tribhuvan University, Rampur, Nepal

Documented results

• Final report: Identification of grub species in Nepal
  [report_ahrens.pdf, 1050 KB]
• Illustrated Key of Phytophagous Scarabs of the Chitwan region, Nepal
  [key_scarabs.pdf, 1890 KB]

Contact

FAL: Dr. Siegfried Keller, or the IPMEurope secretariat.

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