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| An efficient Bio-Control agent for the management of Red Spider Mite infesting Tea : |
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| The interest on using bio-control agent especially, entomophagous fungi for pest control in agriculture have increased in the last few years. The awareness is mainly due to drawbacks of chemical pesticides such as development of resistance, out break of secondary pests, harmful effects on human health, environment and presence of undesirable residues. Tea plantations are considered highly suitable for bio-control programme in view of the type of climate, duration of crop, scale of planting and agronomic practices. |
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| Recently, UPASI Tea Research Foundation in its endeavor has located an entomophagous fungus, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus which has been proved to control red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae of tea plantations more efficiently and establishes on the dead mites. This fungus was formulated into wettable powder and evaluated in the lab @ 1 ml/g/liter of water. All the stages were highly susceptible to the fungal pathogen and cent percent mortality was observed on the 5th day after application. Mycelial growth was noticed on the nymphs, adults and even on the eggs from 5-7 days after application. The right of multiplying the strain of TRF was given to M/s Multiplex Biotech Pvt.Ltd. Bangalore. The entomopathogen is now available in wettable powder formulation and liquid under the commercial name, MUTIPLEX MYCOMITE. |
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| This is a joint venture between UPASI tea research foundation and Multiplex Biotech Pvt.Ltd. with a vision of transferring the technology from Lab to Land. |
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| FORMULATION |
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| This fungus was mass cultured and formulated into a wettable powder formulation having about 10000000 spores / gm of the formulation. |
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| DOSAGE |
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| The formulation has to be dissolved @ 1 ml/3 gm per liter of water and spray using knapsack sprayer. |
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| MODE OF ACTION |
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| When the spores come in contact with the mites, it germinates and penetrates through the cuticle and multiplies in the haemolymph. It inhibits metabolism and ultimately leads to total paralysis of all the physiological functions and thereby ensures the death of the mites. Five to seven days after spraying multiplex Mycomite, the dead red spider mites is totally covered by mycelium of P.fumosoroseus. High humidity helps in achieving good efficacy. |
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| SPRAYING TIME |
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| MULTIPLEX MYCOMITE have to be applied as preventive spray during early mite season particularly when the mite incidence is low. The ideal time for spraying will be during high humid weather when the night temperature regime is around 20 to 25° C and the humidity is around 75-80%. Spraying during evening hours will be very ideal. Apart from mites, P.fumosoroseus controls other tea pests like thrips, aphids, leaf roller, flush worm and tea tortrix also. |
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| BENEFITS |
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MULTIPLEX MYCOMITE overcomes the drawbacks of chemical pesticides such as development of resistance, out break of secondary pests, harmful effects environment and presence of undesirable residues. |
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MULTIPLEX MYCOMITE reduces pesticides load in plantations/ agro ecosystems and provides a strong support to Eco friendly /organic agriculture. |
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MULTIPLEX MYCOMITE is highly suitable for bio-control programme in view of the type of climate, duration of crop, scale of planting and agronomic practices in plantation crops like tea. |
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MULTIPLEX MYCOMITE also controls other pests such as thrips, aphids, leaf roller, flush worm, tortrix and other caterpillars. |
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MULTIPLEX MYCOMITE controls red spider mites/ other mites affecting various horticultural and agricultural crops. |
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