INSECT PESTS OF FOREST TREE SEEDS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

摘要

No specific surveys have been conducted in India to assess the losses due to storage pests in case of forest tree seeds. However, the survey results conducted by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in 1981 revealed that losses due toinsects, rodents and fungi were about 10.0 per cent of world production in food grains stored for consumption as well as seed stocks of various edible and non-edible commodities. Losses were estimated to be higher in tropical and subtropical countries.In India, it is estimated that losses due to insect pests is about 5% of the quantity stored. About 2.5 million tons of the stored food grains are lost in storage and losses in other stored agricultural produce amount to Rs.100 crores annually on an average. About 4.2 million tons of grains and other non-edible seed stocks including forest and ornamental are stored for seed purposes annually in our country. If the losses due to storage pests (about 5 per cent) are prevented during the storage, there would be saving of about 0.2 million tons of seed which is sufficient for sowing an area of about 4.5 million hectares.