Profile of the Department of Entomology, S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati.

The Department of Entomology came into existence in the year 1962 with the inception of the College. The Department is offering Subjects pertaining to Fundamentals and Concepts of Entomology in I and II years of B.Sc (Hons.) Agriculture programme.  In III year, Various crop pests and their management aspects are covered.  The Department take up 6 undergraduate courses with 17 Credits.  The Teaching in The laboratory is done with mixed audio visual aids viz., Good Charts, laminations, Black board, Power Point presentation, preserved specimens, Life cycles, Herbarium, Permanent microscopic slides etc.  The students are taken to regular field visits for identification of field symptoms and  insect life stages.  Drawing of insect diagrams and Symptoms is guided in the class room.  The students are encouraged with group wise presentation of topics.

The Department has well established Insectary for rearing of insect pests, parasitoids, predators.  In the Insectary premises, the mulberry field is being maintained for silkworm rearing in specified building.  A vermicompost unit has been maintained since two decades and fine quality Vermicompost is supplying for Horticultural crops, kitchen gardens, nurseries, terrace gardens etc., The Department has net house facility for conducting PG research. Apiary of Indian Honeybee and little bee are maintained for demonstration purpose. Crop cafeteria is regularly raised for the purpose of practical classes.

UG laboratory is equipped with suitable working tables, microscopes for observations and dissections, the laminations of various crop pests and symptoms of damage, different types of preserved insect specimens, charts.  PG Laboratory has Equipment viz., Research Microscope, Stereozoom microscope, Incubators, Potter’s tower, autoclave, Laminar air flow,  Hot water bath, Centrifuge etc.   For Insect pathology work, separate partition is maintained.  The laboratory facilities available at Entomology Laboratory, RARS, Tirupati viz., Equipment for Molecular Studies, i.e. DNA Extraction units, Thermal Cyclers, Gel Electrophoresis unit, Gel Documentation Systems, Spectrophotometer and Equipment available in Pesticide Residue Laboratory are also being Utilized for PG, P.hD Research.

The students of RAWE programme are guided by the Faculty in Plant protection aspects.  For Experiential Learning Programme,  an ICAR sanctioned unit “Production of Beneficial insects and other Organisms” has been running since 2011.  Up to now, 228 final year students were got trained in the Unit  for the components Viz., Sericulture, Trichocard Production and Vermicomposting.  Fine quality Vermicompost is being generated with the mixed leaves of perennial trees of College premises and Cow dung as bedding material for surface earthworm, Eisenia foetida.

Post graduate programme in Entomology was started in 1982. The Department offers 9 courses with a credit load of 25 for the M.Sc (Ag) students.

The Ph.D. programme in Entomology was initiated in the Department during the year 2009.  The Research credits for P.hD are 75 out of total 100 credits.

So far 220 students were awarded the M.Sc (Ag) Degree and 26 students were awarded the Ph.D. degree in Entomology.

The areas of PG, Ph.D Research

• Bioecology of major insect pests
• Taxonomic identification of Insects
• Seasonal Incidence of Insect pests
• Pest forewarning models
• Integrated pest management of Major insect pests in Various crops
• Tritrophic interactions
• Tropical Sericulture
• Ecotoxicology of new chemical molecules
• Compatibility of insecticides
• Microbial control of insect pests
• Screening of genotypes for insect pests
• Storage Entomology
• Acarina associated with crop ecosystems
• Insecticide Toxicology
• Endosymbionts
• Male Sterile Technique in Pest Management
• Pesticide Residue Analysis
• Nanotechnology applications for Pest Management
• Study of Invasive Pests
• Studies on Epizootics
• Host plant Resistance
• Bioassay studies related to different groups of Pesticides
• Morphological and Molecular characterization of Insects
• Drone Application Technology in Plant Protection
• Insecticide Resistance Studies

Heads of the Department:

List of UG Courses offered by the Department

Books Published by the Department:

1. Integrated Pest Management (2002)
2. A short book on crop pests (2004)
3. Insect Ecology: Concepts in Pest Management (2022)

No. of Research papers Published by the Department: 154

No. of Book Chapters Published at National Level : 12

Training Programmes/ Short Courses organised by the Department:

1. Vocational training programme on Sericulture – 20 days during October 2002
2. A short course on sustainable technologies for pest management in Horticultural crops – 10 days during January 2007

Meritorious Teacher Awards received from the University by the Teachers

Dr. N.Venugopal Rao

Dr.S. Srinivasan

Dr.P.Rajendra Prasad

Dr. K.Manjula

Dr. M.S.V Chalam

State Level Best Teacher Award to 

Dr. S.R Koteswara Rao during 2016

Dr.K.Manjula during 2022

Other Awards To Teachers :

Dr.V.Ramasubba Rao received “Anand Prakash Award 2007” towards Research contribution in Biosystematics of Leafhoppers and Plant hoppers of Andhra Padesh (AZRA, CRRI,Cuttak)

Dr.M. Rajasri  received the following awards

• Ugadi Puraskaram – 2018
• Rythu Nestham Award – 2013
• Fellow of Plant Protection – 2015
• Outstanding Agricultural Scientist Award from VasanthaRaj David Foundation – 2020
• Sadhana Award from YS Parmer University of Agriculture and Forestry during 2022

Dr. M.S.V. Chalam

• District Collector Commendation – 2019

Best Poster Presentation Award to B.L.Maneesha and Dr. K. Manjula during Post Graduate Seminar 2022 at Agricultural College, Bapatla for the Research paper entitled “ Rejuvenation of Neem trees after Tea Mosquito Bug Attack”.

Fellowships to The PG and Ph.D Scholars :

• V. Abdul Rasheed, P.hD scholar, Got Bayer fellowship during 2016
• A. Maneesha, M.Sc(Ag) scholar got Bayer fellowship during 2016

CONDUCT of WEBINARS: Started to organize “National Webinar series on “Plant Health Management” on 21.12.2020 .  Three (3) Webinar series were conducted during 2020 and 21.

“ENTO CLUB SVAC” Started :The Club was started from 01.01.2022 with the permission of University.  The Teachers, Scientists, Scholars and Students from the various SAU’s, Private Sectors, Agriculture and sericulture Department, Pesticide Companies and Government Officers are enrolled as life members.  The activities taken up under the club  are

• Preservation of Insect specimens
• Reposition of Insect specimens
• Provision of insect specimens
• Maintenance of Club corner
• Conducting the Seminars on Current Topics
• Rejunuvation of Neem Trees after Tea Mosquito Bug attack was recorded
• Preparation of Insect Mounts initiated.

OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT:

• Regular Farmers Advisory regarding plant protection aspects
• Conducting Training Programmes to the Farmers on production of fine-quality vermicompost, vermiwash, Organic crop production and sericulture.
• Participation in Village Adoption Programme
• Demonstrations to The School Children, Government officials
• Teaching to Agri.Polytechnic, Horti. Polytechnic students and Horticulture B.Sc students about the activities
• Vermiwash Unit established and supplying Vermiwash to Organic growers
• Providing Insect Specimens to Affiliated Agril. Colleges, Agri. Polytechnics, Zoo Park etc.
• Publication of Brochures
• Collaboration with ICAR Centres like ICAR – NBAIR, ICAR – IIHR, ICAR – IIRR and NIPHM for PG, P.hD Research
• Conducting Guest lectures
• Teachers are acting as External Examiners for Question paper setting for UG and PG Courses, Thesis Evaluation and Conducting Viva -Voce for PG, P.hD for the Universities Viz., GKVK, Bengaluru, Central University, Pondicherry; UAS, Dharwad; UAS, Raichur, Shivamogga, Kerala Agril. University, TNAU; OUAT, Bhubaneswar etc.
• Training to the Teaching Faculty of Affiliated Colleges of ANGRAU

Capacity Building programmes participated by the Teachers at Abroad