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he laboratory experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of some indigenous products such as plant products (chopped neem leaves ajwain seed powder, garlic capsules, saw dust), animal derivedproducts ( cow dung cake powder, cow urine) and inert materials ( ash powder, sand, talcum powder, salt) @ 2g/100g of wheat grains against rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (Linn.) and lesser grain borer, Rhyzoper thadominica (Fab.) on stored wheat by undertaking various parameters viz., percent adult emergence, percent seed damage, per cent weight loss and per cent germination after six months of storage during April to October 2015. After 180 days of treatments, the minimum number of adults weevils of S. oryzae( 4.00, 6.00,7.67, 9.00, 9.67 and 10.33) were emerged in wheat grains treated with ash powder, sand, cow dung powder, talcum powder, ajwain seed powder and neem leaf powder, respectively with minimum grain damage (7.33 %, 8.67 %,11.67 % and 12.00 %) was observed on ash powder, sand, ajwain seed powder and talcum powder, respectively, whereas minimum weight loss (2.67 %, 3.67 %, 5.67 % and 6.67 %) was recorded on ash powder, sand, cow dung powder, talcum powder and ajwain seed powder, respectively. Similarly, the minimum number of adult beetles of R. dominica were emerged (2.00,2.33, 6.67,7.00 and 8.33) in ash power, sand, talcum powder, cow dung cake powder and ajwain seed powder, respectively with minimum grain damage (4.00 %,8.00 %. 8.67 % and 12.67 % and weight loss (1.33 %, 4.00 %, 7.33 % and 11.67 %) in sand, ash powder, talcum powder and cow dung cake treated wheat grains, respectively. It has been clearly observed that seed germination was not affected adversely in any treatment during six months of storage. The present study clearly revealed that these naturally occurring indigenous products could be used to manage the storage insect pests in wheat.

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Abstract:The studies to manage the honey bee bacterial European foul brood ( EFB) disease caused by Melisococcus plutonius and ectoparasitic brood mite disease caused by Varroa destructor in the colonies of Apis mellifera (L.) at different locations of Uttarakhand were conducted during 2012-2013 by applying eco-friendly formulations i.e. spraying of cow urine (desi cow breed), plant decoctions prepared in cow urine, cow dung cake and cow dung ash powders , ajwain seed powder and compared to an antibiotic, terramycin sugar syrup and synthetic chemicals, sulphur and thymol powder with two applications in a month. The data revealed that the cow urine sprays @ 50, 75 and 100% reduced the disease infection to below detectable limit in 10 to 14 days, respectively, as terramycin treated infected colonies where only 50-55% recovery was seen in EFB infection with highest sealed worker brood areas ( SWBA) in cow urine treated honeybee colonies in comparison to terramycin and untreated colonies. Similarly, on the other hand, cow urine (100%) significantly reduced brood mite infestation (72.10%) with highest mean mite fall (48.73) and highest (SWBA) (854.00 cm 2 ) followed by ajwain powder with reduction in brood m ite infes tation(65.84%) with mite fall (46.39) and SWBA (749.00 cm 2 ), cow dung powder with reduction in brood mite infestation (71.35%) ,mite fall ( 42.87), SWBA (682.33 cm 2 ), , followed by cow dung ash powder, cow urine @ 25%, in comparison to plant decoctions prepared in cow urine, synthetic chemicals i.e. thymol and sulphur powder after 4 weeks of treatments. Thus, the animal origin products and ajwain powder can serve as a potential eco-friendly measure for management of honeybee diseases in A. mellifera colonies at different locations of Uttarakhand as they significantly increased sealed worker brood area without affecting the activities of workers, queen bee and bee brood in comparison to chemicals and plant decoctions.

Abstract:The laboratory studies were conducted to assess the bio-efficacy of cow urine and jatropha seed extracts prepared in water and cow urine (@ 5% and @10% against different stages of Spilarctia obliqua. The cent per-cent mortality of neonate larvae was observed in jatropha seed water extract @10% followed by significantly less larval survival in cow urine @10% (13.35%), jatropha seed cow urine extract @10% (16.64%) in comparison to untreated control (93.32%).Similarly cent per cent larval mortality of 7 days old larvae was observed in JSWE @ 10% and JSCUE @10% with significantly less growth index in JSCUE 5% (0.66), JSWE@5%( 0.67), CU @10% (0.88) and CU @5% ( 0.99) with 2.23 growth index in untreated control. For 14 days old larvae the mean leaf area consumed and larval weight was observed significantly very less in JSWE@10% with cent percent larval mortality followed by JSCUE@10% and cow urine treatments. Similarly, regarding antifeedant activity of eco-friendly formulations according to the calculated preference indices, the strong antifeedant action was showed by JSWE@10% (0.50) followed by JSCUE@10% (0.55)and JSWE@5% (0.60) showed moderately antifeedant action with slight antifeedant action in JSCUE@5% (0.81) and cow urine @10% ( 0.82) and CU@5%(0.85). These observations clearly demonstrated the efficacy of cow urine based eco-friendly formulations against S. obliqua under laboratory conditions which indicated the potential of cow urine based formulations which are eco-friendly, easily prepared and low cost organic approach for sustainable agriculture.