This Department is imparting M. Sc. and Ph. D. education by regular course work. Every year 22 students at Department of Entomology, Akola are regularly admitted for undergoing M. Sc. Agril. Entomology degree program. However, regular Ph.D. Agril. Entomology degree program is run only at Central Campus, Department of Entomology, Akola by admitting two regular students every year and one in-service candidate biennially.

     PG Education
     Present intake capacity

Courses for M. Sc. degree programme

Research Activities

Linkages with other institutes:

• IARI, New Delhi
• NCIPM, New Delhi
• DOSR, Indore
• CRIDA, Hyderabad
• National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects (NBAII), Bangalore
• CICR, Nagpur
• NRCC, Nagpur
• Aligarh Muslim University
• India Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur
• Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri
• Marathwada Agriculture University, Parbhani
• Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola
• State Department of Agriculture, Pune
• State Department of Horticulture, Pune
• Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur.

Externally Funded Ongoing/Completed Projects:

1. “Network Project on Insect Biosystematics funded by ICAR, New Delhi”

1. Year of Start- 2005-2014
2. Funded by – ICAR (1.16 crores)

• Field surveys focused on different agro climatic regions of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Meghalaya in various agro ecosystems during the year2006-2014.

• Field surveys covered two districts of Maharashtra at the initiation of the project(2005-06),during 2006-07,covered 19 districts of Maharashtra,05 districts of M.P.,03 districts of Chhattisgarh and 05 districts of Gujarat on total 300 ha area. During 2007-08survey was conducted in 15 districts of Maharashtra,04 districts of M.P.,04 districts of Chhattisgarh and 08 districts of Gujarat on 1100ha area in 157 trips. 14 districts of Maharashtra,4 of Chhatisgarh,3of Gujarat and 7of M.P. had been surveyed during 2008-09.During 2009-10 the survey was conducted in 11 districts of Maharashtra,4 districts of Gujarat and 5 districts of M.P. In the year 2010-11 twenty five districts were covered from Maharashtra and 5 of Chhattisgarh. During 2011-12 field survey was undertaken in 17 districts of Maharashtra, 10 districts of M.P. and 3 districts of Chhatisgarh.26 districts of Maharashtra were covered during 2012-13 with 777ha.area under survey in 183 trips. During 2013-14, nineteen districts of Maharashtra have been surveyed with two districts of Meghalaya. Survey was carried out about 266 ha area with 194 trips at different crop stages. More emphasis was given on Scarab beetles of Maharashtra and Meghalaya. Beetles particularly Sophrops   and other scarabs were collected through light traps.

• Field survey(2006-2014) led to total collection of 25046 insect specimens belonging to orders Coleoptera (11887), Orthoptera (3746), Lepidoptera (3171), Hymenoptera (1205),  Hemiptera (3481), Dermaptera (74),  Diptera (566), Isoptera (257) which made cumulative collection to 25046 processed and documented specimens.

• Biosystematic studies of White grubs (Scaraboidea:Scarabaeidae) of 2 subfamilies (Melolonthinae & Rutelinae), 4 genera viz., Sophrops  (Sophrops karschi), Leucopholis (Leucopholis lepidophora),Anomala (Anomala dorsalis) and Rhinyptia (Rhinyptia indica, Rhinyptia nigrifrons and Rhinyptiaindet.) carried out those were encountered during the survey of Maharashtra and Meghalaya(2013-14). Sophrops karschi was found predominant in Western ghat and Melghat (Satpura range) of Maharashtra among the scarabs .Besides, five species of Holotrichia of Maharashtra were re-described and pictorial key for the same has been provided. Characterizations of 22 species of short horn grasshoppers from central India have been studied.

• In addition, during 2013-14 this centre has added 37 species of Coleoptera, 08 species of Lepidoptera, 6 species of Diptera, 6 species of Hemiptera, and 8 species of Hymenoptera to the collection. Accordingly, database of the identified species of the centre has been updated and total 1262 entries have been documented.

• Total 19 field biology / field diagnostics of important pests of Sugarcane, Soybean, Pigeon pea, Citrus, Okra, Castor, Nagpur Mandarin, Mustard, Sesamum and soapnut etc. prepared, besides natural enemies. Morphometric observations have been undertaken at various stages of the pests and bioagents. 187 visuals and about 15 Video clips crop wise and pest wise have been developed.
• Good photographs (visuals)of many pests of field crops have been taken during the field survey and the soft copy of the same has been submitted to NPIB coordinating cell IARI, New Delhi as well as NPIB centre, NBAII, Bangalore.

• Five research papers have been published, out of the information generated during the investigations in this centre and one paper is in press.

• About more than 100 Identified specimens have been submitted to NPC.

• A well equipped laboratory of Biosystematics has been developed only because of this project and about 25,000 insect specimens have been preserved properly in the Insect Museum of Department of Entomology, Dr PDKV, Akola, this museum is the unique museum of central India and it has been a source of inspiration in the area of insect taxonomy, insect diversity for the students, researchers and farmers also to create awareness about the insects life.

2. Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project: 2016-17 (CROPSAP):

Mandate of the project

1. To train the Master Trainers of State Department of Agriculture in all 11 districts of Vidarbha.
2. To train pest surveillance staff in all eleven districts of Vidarbha.
3. To assist in pest monitoring & preparation of Capsule Advisory IPM module.
4. To interpret and issue online Advisories on crop pests, Taluka wise twice in a week.

The Department of Entomology, Dr. PDKV., Akola, Department of Agriculture and NCIPM, New Delhi, jointly organizing the novel project known  as “Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project” since 2009-10.

The details of the project:

• This project received a prestigious Prime Minister Award for excellence in Public administration for the Year 2014-15.
• Funded by State Department of Agriculture, Maharashtra.
• Fund received till 2016-17 : Rs. 257 crors.
• Advisory given: About 57800 number of Taluka wise, Crop wise, and pest wise, regular advisories are given on every Monday and Thursday during 2015-16.
• Trained about 795 staff of the project, organizing 8 training programmes at Akola and Nagpur during 2015-16.
• Nominated District scientists for eleven districts of Vidarbha to monitor the pest status.
• Visited 408 fields of all eleven districts of Vidarbha during 2015-16 and created awareness among the farmers.
• As a result from 2009-10 to 2015-16 no pest attained out break status in Vidarbha and farmers harvested the crop with higher net profit.

            An important project namely, Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project on management of major pest in soybean-cotton-chickpea, pigeon pea and paddy, was implemented by the Department of Entomology, Dr. PDKV, Akola during 2009-2015 in collaboration with State Department of Agriculture M.S. and other Stake Holders as below.

Stakeholders

• State Agriculture Department, Maharashtra, Pune
• National Centre for Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM), New Delhi
• Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), Akola
• Marathwada Agricultural University (MAU), Parbhani
• Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri
• Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur
• Directorate of Soybean Research (DOSR), Indore
• Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad
• Indian Institute for Pulses Research, Kanpur

   CROPSAP Project 2016-17 Training Photographs

 Master Trainers Training 2016-17

Plant Protection and Surveillance Unit,

• Year of Start : 1972
• In charge of Unit : Dr. Anil V. Kolhe , Chief Plant Protection Officer (additional charge)
• Status : Non plan
• Period : Long term
• Mandate:

1. To conduct the survey for pests on major crops of Vidarbha region
2. To disseminate the plant protection advisory to various agriculture extension functionaries and through various  media.
3. To interpret the pests situation and to forewarn the farmers to undertake plant protection  measures.

• Area of Operation: Vidarbha Region

• Nature of work :

The regular survey work for monitoring of important pests of various crops have to be conducted throughout the year in Vidarbha Region. On the basis of pests situation prevailed in the region on various crops, the management strategies of pests has to be disseminate among the State Extension Officers, workers and farmers through newspapers, magazines, Aakashwani, TV, mobile, email etc in the form of plant protection bulletins, agro-advisory bulletins, wartapatre, news, lekhs, radio talk, SMS, alerts in order to undertake the necessary plant protection measures by farmers  from time to time and as per need and severity of pests. Similarly, on the basis monitoring of pests and climatic conditions prevailed, the forewarning of economically important pests has to be given from time to time through extension media.

Awards

2009-10 to 2015-16

• Department has one ongoing externally funded project i.e. Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project (CROPSAP) which bagged prestigious Prime Minister (2014-15), also bagged E-Governance Gold Award (2010-11) and Krishi Karma Awards (2010-11).
• D. K. Ballal Silver Medal for University Best Teacher Award (Dr. S. M. Dadmal)
• ICAR Best Teacher Award during 2012-13 (Dr. S. M. Thakare)
• ICAR Best Teacher Award during 2014-15 (Dr. S. M. Dadmal)
• ICAR Best Teacher Award during 2015-16 (Dr. N. S. Satpute)
• Outstanding Scientist Award during 2016-17 (Dr. S. K. Bhalkare)
• M. Puttarudriah Memorial Endowment National Award 2010 in appreciation for sustainable and commendable contributions to field of Plant Protection in India received on 03/04/2010 at IIT, Banglore with the hands of Secretary (Agril.)Government fo Karnataka (Dr. S. M. Thakare)
• Second prize in Agro-Tech, Dr. PDKV, Akola-2014 (Department of Entomology)

1. Training to Master Trainers Achievements:

2. Training to Surveillance Staff:

3. Pest Monitoring:

4. Online Advisories Given:

CROPSAP Training and Field Visit Photo 2014-15

Transfer of Technology:

The department has develop 160 technologies regarding crop protection that are being regularly disseminated for the benefit of the cultivators including alarming situations through various media like special bulletins, newspapers and frequent programmes through All India Radio, Doordarshan, other TV channel programmes, etc. These are the regular recurring activities of this department.

Vision 2025:

Teaching:

1. Introduction of molecular taxonomy.
2. Introductory genomics for Plant Protection.
3. Advances in residue analysis techniques in Horticultural crops.
4. Plant Protection in High-tech Horticulture.
5. Plant Protection in Medicinal plant.
6. Improvement in teaching methodology through e-learning.