ICAR-CICR Secures Four Patents for Eco-Friendly Cotton Pest Control

ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, has been granted four patents for its innovative bacterial-based volatile attractant formulations, CICR-BVW, CICR-BVA, CICR-BVT, and CICR-BVBI, aimed at managing sucking pests in cotton. These formulations offer a sustainable solution to combat pests like whiteflies, aphids, jassids, and thrips, which are notorious for causing significant damage to cotton crops.

Sucking pests are infamous for severely impacting cotton yield and quality. Farmers traditionally rely on chemical insecticides to combat these pests. However, excessive use of these chemicals has led to pest resistance, resurgence of minor pests, reduced populations of natural enemies, environmental degradation, and escalating production costs. Recognizing the pressing need for sustainable solutions, scientists at the ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, have pioneered a groundbreaking approach.

The CICR team has developed four innovative bacterial-based volatile attractant formulations, CICR-BVW, CICR-BVA, CICR-BVT, and CICR-BVBI, for effectively managing cotton-sucking pests. These formulations enhance the effectiveness of yellow sticky traps (YSTs), a widely used mechanical pest control method, by significantly increasing their attractiveness to pests. Extensive three-year field studies and multi-location evaluations across 15 AICRP (Cotton) centers have demonstrated the formulations' efficacy.

The results are remarkable: CICR-BVW, CICR-BVA, CICR-BVT, and CICR-BVBI showed attraction efficiencies of 168%, 189%, 175%, and 268% over control (YST alone) for whiteflies, aphids, thrips, and beneficial insects, respectively. Importantly, these eco-friendly attractants are cost-effective and pose no harm to cotton plants, soil health, or the environment. By reducing chemical usage and mitigating pest resurgence, these formulations promise to revolutionize pest management in cotton cultivation.

Further, these patented technologies have immense commercial potential. ICAR-CICR has already initiated the licensing process through its Institute Technology Management Unit (ITMU) and Agrinnovate, aiming to make these innovations widely accessible to the agricultural community.

This breakthrough aligns with global calls for sustainable farming practices and offers a viable alternative for farmers seeking eco-friendly and cost-effective pest management solutions.