Research Projects

Tea, a significant industrial cash crop and foreign exchange earner, is a major concern for the tea industry in India. The country is the second-largest tea producer globally, contributing to millions of jobs. However, the tea industry faces numerous challenges, including the presence of 1013 arthropod pests, with 3% of these being common worldwide. In North-East India, 176 insect and mite pests have been reported, with the tea mosquito bug Helopeltis theivora (TMB) Waterhouse being the most significant enemy. TMB causes significant crop losses, affecting about 40-80% of tea acreage in tea growing regions, including North East India. Both nymphs and adults suck cell sap from stems, leaves, and buds, causing stunted growth and sometimes death. The peak infestation period is from June-July and is available from March till November. Currently, broad-spectrum insecticides are widely used to control TMB, but their large-scale use leaves undesirable residues in the tea, burdening planters and the environment. As a result, there is a growing desire for organically grown tea due to the pesticide residues and their negative effects on human health. The search for commercially viable microbial-based bio-pesticides against TMB has led to the development of nutrient-enriched bio formulations from Cordyceps javanica, a potent microbe against TMB. Microbial-based bioformulations are species-specific, eco-friendly, sustainable, and economically viable pest management tactics.