Dr.

Hem Singh
Department of Entomology Management of Beneficial Insects
S.V.P.U.& T. University B.Sc.(Ag) 3 rd Year

Lecture No. 1
Importance of beneficial insects in Agriculture, Honeybee, Silkworm, Lac
insects, Bio- agents as natural enemies, Various Institutes related to beneficial
insects
Importance of Beneficial Insects:
 Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of speciesof
insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control.
 The concept of beneficial is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcomes from a
human perspective.
 In farming and agriculture, where the goal is to raise selected crops, insects that hinderthe
production process are classified as pests, while insects that assist production are considered
beneficial.
 In horticulture and gardening; pest control, habitat integration, and „natural vitality‟
aesthetics are the desired outcome with beneficial insects.
 Encouraging beneficial insects, by providing suitable living conditions, is a pest control
strategy, often used in organic farming, organic gardening or integrated pest management.
Companies specializing in biological pest control sell many types of beneficial insects,
particularly for use in enclosed areas, like greenhouses.
 There are many insects found on agriculture land those are not threat to the crop production
but beneficial to the farmers in different aspects, as Natural enemies, Pollinators, productive
insects, Scavengers, weed killer and Soil builders.
 In present scenario the motive of the farmers is single sided, to gain only maximum profit,
ignoring the impact on the beneficial insects, environment and human health.
 Insecticide can be a important crop production tool to maximize yield but Heavy and
indiscriminate use of chemicals also exposes farmers to serious health risks, resulted in
negative consequences for the insect those are beneficial to the farmers.
 Fields shared by many beneficial insects, positively affect the crop yield so careful decision
should be taken to manage the insect pest and awareness among the farmers towards the
beneficial insects.
Role of Beneficial Insects As
1. Pollinators:
Dr. Hem Singh
Department of Entomology Management of Beneficial Insects
S.V.P.U.& T. University B.Sc.(Ag) 3 rd Year

 Insect pollinators are flower visiting Insects that forage on flowering plants to obtain plant-
provided food (nectar, pollen).
 Flower-visiting insects have the potential to transfer male gametes (contained in pollen) to
the female gametes while foraging, resulting in pollination.
 Insect-mediated pollination is an essential step in reproduction for the majority of the world‟s
flowering plants , including numerous cultivated plant species i.e. Sunflower,
Cucurbitaceous vegetables,
 Alfalfa, Coriander, Cardmom, Gingelly, Apple etc. Many crops depend on pollination for seed
production and fruit set to achieve good yield. Globally, an estimated 35% of crop production
is a result of insect pollination.
 The Apis meliffera L. (European honey bee) is responsible for the pollination servicesin
majority of crops. Non-Apis bees also are important pollinators of crops, especially for crops
in which honey bees are inefficient pollinators (e.g. alfalfa, squash).
 A few non-Apis species are managed for crop pollination. Examples of managed non- Apis
species include bumble bees, Bombus impatiens Cresson (Hymenoptera: Apidae) managed for
cranberry (Vaccinium spp.) and greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) pollination.
 Although bees are considered the most effective insect-pollinator of most plant species, other
insects have been recognized for their contributions to pollination.
 Flower visiting flies (Diptera) have been documented as proficient pollinators of several crops
including carrot (Dacus carota L.), mustard (Brassica spp.), leek, (Allium ampeloprasum L.),
and almond (Prunis dulcis). Weevil Elaeidobius kamerunicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
plays great role in pollination of Oil palm.

Example – honey bees, solitary species, bumblebees, pollen wasps (Masarinae); ants; flies including
bee flies, hoverflies and mosquitoes; lepidopterans, both butterflies and moths; and flower beetles.
2. Natural Enemies:
Insect predators and parasitoids that attack and feed on other insects, particularly on insect pests
of plants are considered natural enemies. Through this type of feeding, natural enemies contribute to a
type of pest regulation referred to as natural biological control.
Example – Lady Beetles (aka Ladybugs)
Dr. Hem Singh
Department of Entomology Management of Beneficial Insects
S.V.P.U.& T. University B.Sc.(Ag) 3 rd Year

3. Weed Killers:
 So many insects feed upon unwanted weeds just the same manner they do with thecultivated
crops.
 In many cases the occurrence of these insects has contributed much towards eradication of the
weeds.
Sr.No Bio – agents Weeds
1. Leaf beetle (Octotoma scabripennis) Lantana camara
Leaf-mining chrysomelids (Uroplata gualdi)
2. Common crap (Cyprimus carpio) Chinese crap Aquatic weed
Neochetina sp.
3. Manetee or sea-cow Water hyacinth
4. Zygogramma bicolorata Parthenium (Congress)

4. Soil Builders:
 Insects which live in soil make tunnels, creating channels for smaller organisms, water, air, and
roots to travel through.
 Insects improves soil aeration, and earthworm activity can enhance soil nutrient cycle, thesoil
physical properties, such as soil structure and tilth and activity of other beneficial soil
organisms.
 Small Dung beetles makes tunnel walls with dung and also make dung balls that helps in
maintaining the quality of the soil.
 Excreta of insets also enrich the soil. Examples- Beetles, Ants, Cut-worms, Larvae of flies,
Crickets, Termites, Wasps etc.
Institutes related to beneficial insects
1. Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control (CIBC)
 Indian Station was established in 1957 at Hebbal, Bangalore.
 The advent of CIBC marked the beginning of organized and systematic biological control
research in India.
 During this period, our knowledge of natural enemies of crop pests and weeds increased
manifold.
 CIBC Indian station was closed during 1987.
Dr. Hem Singh
Department of Entomology Management of Beneficial Insects
S.V.P.U.& T. University B.Sc.(Ag) 3 rd Year

2. All India Coordinated Research Project on Biological Control of Crop Pests and Weeds
(AICRP-BC&W),
 which was launched in 1977 under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
was shifted to the same campus in 1988.
 The centre was named as Biological Control Centre and the entire programme functioned under
the administrative/financial control of the National Centre for Integrated Pest Management
(NCIPM).
3. National Centre for Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM),
 New Delhi established in 1988 is associated with achieving the goals of IPM by promoting
environmentally sound IPM technologies.
 Centre strives for effective cooperation with All organizations in India for implementation of
its programmes.
 In the eighth five-year plan, the project was elevated to an independent.
4. Project Directorate of Biological Control (PDBC) ,with its headquarters in Bangalore during 1993.
 PDBC was the nodal agency in the country that organizes biological control research at the
national level with 16 centres spread across the country.
 The Directorate at Bangalore carried out basic research on the biosystematics of important
groups of insect bioagents.
5. The reference collection maintained at PDBC During XIth plan, PDBC was upgraded as National
Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects (NBAII) located in Hebbal, Bangalore to act as a
nodal agency for collection, characterization, documentation, conservation, exchange and
utilization of agriculturally important insect resources (including mites and spiders) for sustainable
agriculture.

6. In the twelfth five year plan the Bureau is now re-named as National Bureau of Agricultural
Insect Resources (NBAIR) located in Hebbal, Bangalore and the bureau's Mandate is To act as a
nodal agency for collection, characterization, documentation, conservation, exchange, research and
utilization of agriculturally important insect resources (including mites, spiders and related
arthropods) for sustainable agriculture. Capacity building, dissemination of technologies and
forging linkages with stakeholders. On-farm validation of biocontrol strategies, forging linkages
with commodity-based crop research institutes, AICRP/AINP and capacity building.
Dr. Hem Singh
Department of Entomology Management of Beneficial Insects
S.V.P.U.& T. University B.Sc.(Ag) 3 rd Year

7. Khadi & Village Industries Commission, Mumbai (KVIC)

 With the inspiration of Rastriya Mahatma Gandhi took the task of development of the
beekeeping Industry with a view to uplift the financial status of people living in extremely
interior rural areas by introducing and popularizing modern beekeeping.
 KVIC in 1957 established Central Bee Research & Training Institute at Pune on 1 st Nov‟
1962.
 KVIC established a separate department namely Directorate of Beekeeping in Mumbai and
Central Bee Research & training Institute at Pune and started beekeeping in modern and
scientific way throughout the country
 In view of the tremendous scope for increasing productivity due to cross pollination and
increase in income through Apiculture, it was proposed to revive Beekeeping activity in the
country, exponentially by pooling the resources of the Department of Agriculture and
Cooperation with other organization, including private sector.
8. Accordingly, the National Bee Board, New Delhi (NBB) was reconstituted in June, 2006. The
main objective of the National Bee Board (NBB) is overall development of Beekeeping by
promoting Scientific Beekeeping in India to increase the productivity of crops through pollination
and increase the Honey production for increasing the income of the Beekeepers/ Farmers.
 Dr. Hem Singh
Department of Entomology Management of
Beneficial Insects
S.V.P.U.& T. University B.Sc.(Ag) 3 rd Year