The division is involved in research on insect pests and diseases of important tree species of the region and to develop protocol for their management. This division has been carrying out researches on insect pest and diseases of nursery plantations and natural forest and mycorrhiza since the seventies when it was a division of erstwhile Regional Forest Research Centre (RFRC).  The division has developed integrated insect pest and disease control models for ecofriendly management of pests, diseases of nursery, plantations and natural forest of central India. Looking to the environmental hazards and high cost of fungicides, integrated management techniques including bio-control measures for important diseases have been developed for field users. The researchers of the division also investigate the queries on insect pest and disease problems raised by the state forest department, NGOs and farmers and suggest suitable management practices for techniques of their control. Research on the application of bio-fertilizers (VAM fungi, Rhizobium, Frankia and other free nitrogen fixing bacteria including PSBs) are being tested to boost up the growth of tree species. Establishment of infrastructure for insect pathology, biological control laboratory, insectary and other emerging frontiers on Forest Protection. This division is actively engaged in the different fields of Forest Entomology and Forest Pathology research in central India. TFRI Tricho-card technology developed by the divisions to control Teak defoliator and Teak skeletonizer is also demonstrated to the stakeholder by organizing training/workshop and field exposures. Insect repository has recognized by NBA and housed specimens of 780 insect species, which is utilized as reference collection by visitors and researches for insect identification. Division have mycological herbarium which have collection of 4000 fungal specimens.

Mandate

• Basic and strategic research in forest diseases and pests.
• Taxonomic studies on forest fungi and insects.
• Biofertilizers and biopesticides

Activities

Research

• Identification of major forest insect pests, diseases and their natural enemies in nurseries, plantations and natural forests of tropical forest trees and their damage assessment.
• Biology, ecology and seasonal history of the major insect pests in laboratory and field.
• Investigations on ecofriendly and biorational alterations of insect pests along with the conventional methods.
• Development of integrated pest management (IPM) strategy for management of major forest insect pests and diseases in nurseries, plantations and natural forests.
• Identification of alien forest invasive insect species (AFIIS), their damage assessment and management.
• Work on mycorrhiza: Evaluated rhizospheric mycorrhiza of Teak, Neem, Sissoo and many other forest tree species.

Trainings

• Organized one day hands-on training programme on "“Identification of Insect Pests in Forest Nurseries and Their Management" for front line staff of Madhya Pradesh Rajya Van Vikas Nigam Ltd.on 12^th-13^th June, 2024, at Mohgaon Project, West Mandla Division, M.P.
• Organized one-day workshop on “Biological Control of Key Defoliator Pests of Teak Using TFRI Tricho Cards” for front line staff of Madhya Pradesh Rajya Van Vikas Nigam Ltd. on 16^th October, 2024, at Karopani, MPRVVN, Kundam Project.
• Conducted a one-day field demonstration program on “Bee Keeping Practices” forforest officials, VDVK members, local farmers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and tribal communitieson 25^th September, 2024, at Van Dhan Vikas Kendra, Shikara Range,North Seoni Forest Division (TFRI Demo Village).
• Conducted a one-day training program on ‘Biofertilizers’for farmers and forest officials ofVVN, PandiyaChapara, Seoni on 06^th March 2025.

Consultancy Services

1. Field enquiry and technical advisory services to the Forest officials of Barhata Circle, Gottegaon Range, Narsinghpur Forest Division, Madhya Pradesh on June 5-6th, 2024. This was in response to the RFO’s request to inspect and identify the causes of mortality among Teak and Khamer young plants in plantations. Communicated remedial measures to the concerned on 20.06.2024. (Vide ref. letter no. 84 dated 11.01.2024).
2. Field enquiry and technical advisory services to the Forest officials of Rewa-Sidhi project division, MPRVVN, Sidhi, MP on 20.06.2024. This was in response to the DM’s request to inspect and identify the causes of mortality among Teak seedlings in nursery beds due to white grubs attack at Jiawan Nursery, Sidhi. Communicated remedial measures to the concerned on 26.06.2024. (Vide ref. letter no. 316 dated 03.05.2024).
3. Field enquiry and technical advisory services to the Forest officials of Mohgaon Project Division, MPRVVN, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh on 07.06.2024. This was in response to the Divisional Managers request to inspect and identify the causes of mortality among Teak seedlings in the nursery beds of Central Nursery, Kanchangaon, Mandla. Communicated remedial measures to the concerned on 08.07.2024. (Vide ref. letter no. VVN/05/Steno/1450, dated 27.05.2024).

Contact:

Smt. Anita, IFS, CF

Head

Forest Protection Division

Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur (MP) - 482021

Phone: +91-761-2840634, 2744153 (O)

E-mail:hod_fp_tfri@icfre.org, rj165@ifs.nic.in