Crop Protection Division
The Crop Protection Division is conducting applied, strategic and basic research on integrated management of rice pest to improve productivity, quality and profitability from rice cultivation. Scientists from the disciplines of Entomology, Pathology, Nematology and Agricultural Chemicals are involved in multidisciplinary research in collaboration with scientists from other divisions of the institute to generate basic and advance knowledge on relevant aspects. Besides in-house research projects, the researchers of the division are also involved in various national and international funded research projects. The division is engaged in different aspects of rice protection sciences, e.g. exploration of new sources of resistance for insect pest and diseases of rice, bio-ecology of rice insect pest and diseases for climate smart protection strategies; bio-intensive approaches for pest management in rice and optimization of chemical pesticide-use for management of rice pest in different ecosystems. Major thrust has been given on multiple pest resistance genotypes, pest modelling and forecasting, tri- trophic interaction of rice, pest and predators/parasites under climate change, novel molecules and formulations for eco-friendly pest management and stored grain pest management. The work on host plant resistance and its mechanism, bio-ecology and epidemiology of rice pest, integrated pest management has beenrecognised worldwide. The division is also involved in designing, validating and popularising pest and ecology based IPM modules for the farmers to ensure profitability.