Union Minister Tomar inaugurates Integrated Biological Control Lab at NIPHM

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday inaugurated the integrated biological control laboratory (BC) at the National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) in Hyderabad.

The minister emphasised that the use of biocontrol for pests was necessary to overcome the adverse effects of excessive pesticide use as well as to reduce the cost of cultivation and to increase farmer incomes.

Tomar underlined that technologies developed in the laboratory should be taken to the farmers who have little access to information.

He said that no pesticide residue should be found in organically produced agricultural commodities which exported to foreign markets so that the brand image of the country is not



affected.

The new laboratory has state-of-the-art facilities for giving hands-on experience on production methodologies for biopesticides, biocontrol agents like predators and parasitoids, entomopathogenic fungi, biofertilisers, NPV, pheromone and botanicals.

Deploying them will help in reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, reduce the adverse effects on the environment and human health and contribute to improved soil and plant health. 

The laboratory will also have an insect museum, weed museum, exhibition hall, natural farming cell etc. to showcase the specimens of agriculturally important insects and weeds in the best preserved or live forms.