Icrisat project wins World Bank Development Marketplace Award

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

New Delhi, May 29: The project developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) for managing the pigeonpea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, through the production and use of the biopesticide Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) has won World Bank’s Development Marketplace Award for 2005.

Icrisat’s project, titled ‘traditional technology with a modern twist’, is among the 31 projects selected through global competition by World Bank for this year’s award. Icrisat and partner, the Centre for World Solidarity (a Hyderabad-based non-governmental organisation working on integrated pest management), will receive a grant of US $150,000, for establishing 100 community-based rural NPV production facilities. The project’s sustainability is based on the programme to train villagers on NPV production and utilisation, and thus spread awareness on the use of biopesticides.

According to Icrisat director-general Dr William Dar, the award is another recognition of the Institute’s pursuit of science with a human face. “While we pursue scientific excellence, we ensure that it results in the improved well-being of the poor and marginal farmers of the semi-arid tropics,” he said.

The technology for the production of NPV builds on the traditional farmers’ practice of vigorously shaking pigeonpea plants to dislodge caterpillars (Helicoverpa larvae) and collect to use them for the virus multiplication in a village.

“This is a time-tested project,” says Dr GV Ranga Rao, special project scientist at ICRISAT who is also the project leader. This cost-effective and eco-friendly method is known to reduce the pod borer infestation up to 85%.Presently, the dislodged larvae are collected and burnt. Icrisat’s technology uses the wasted larvae for producing NPV. Icrisat has developed and pilot-tested the technology for producing NPV.

The Institute’s research has addressed problems related to mass production, storage, utilisation of the virus and application timings and the package is ready for dissemination. NPV infection causes heavy mortality in pod borers without any adverse impact on non-target organisms.