Tamil Nadu   

Special cell mooted

Special Correspondent

Coimbatore: A recent meeting of entomologists and forestry experts on insect attack on eucalyptus plantations has mooted a special cell to monitor it.

According to a release from the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), this cell could be set up in the Institute. Besides, it has recommended a Global Information System facility to track its movement.

The meeting held in Chennai recently and chaired by Prof. Ananthakrishnan, former Director of Zoological Survey and G.Kumaravelu, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Tamil Nadu, was to assess the severity of the insect gall problem in eucalyptus and discuss the strategies to prevent and contain it.

They suggested screening of the eucalypts germplasm in the country to identify trees expressing tolerance to the pest, including the clones developed by the Forest Departments, forest corporations, industries and research organisations.

Since eucalyptus was raised over vast areas, they said that development and adoption of biological control measures would be preferable over the chemical control measures. To prevent the spread of the pest into newer areas, infested planting stock should not be moved from the present locations and what was present should be destroyed to the prevent the population build-up. Another suggestion was formulation of an all-India co-ordinated programme for management of the pest to be implemented by the IFGTB and setting up of a National Centre for Gall Research at the institute in commemoration of the birth centenary of Prof.M.S.Mani, the renowned gall specialist.

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