Govind Gujar: entomologist's journey to understand the Society we live in

  Photocredit: iStock-Captainflash accessed on 27th March 2024  Some years ago, I gave a seminar on Bt resistance in the American bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera in the University of Melbourne, Australia. At the end of seminar, Prof Dean said it is not American bollworm, but a cotton bollworm. In USA, H. armigera is not found. So, it is misnomer to call it an American bollworm. In India, we are so used to calling it as an American bollworm, that many will find it odd or difficult to relate to calling as cotton bollworm, least they confuse with other bollworms. This species does not find mention in the H M Lefroy’s book, Indian Insect life published in 1909. It is in the latter half of the 20 th century that this insect species was referred to as pod borer [MS Mani’s book, General Entomology] and some time, bollworm of cotton. The American bollworm stuck from the time we started growing upland cotton [new world cotton] belonging to Gossypium hirsutum and to some extent G. barbedanse

    Research Planning meeting at Dr PDKV, Akola-seen from left seated: Dr KV Kharche, Director [Res]; Dr Sharad Gadakh, Vice-Chancellor; Dr GT Gujar and Dr DB Undirwade, HoD Entomology and Director [Ext Edu] A few days ago, I attended a research planning meeting in the discipline of entomology at the Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. This is like a project formulation for studying various aspects, especially effective management tactics against the key insect pests damaging the important crops grown in the area under the University’s jurisdiction. The project proposals mostly focussed on the evaluation of insecticides at two different locations in each of two years’ period under the field conditions. The results of evaluation of management tactics are then discussed at the joint AGRISCO meeting which is an annual feature of the agricultural universities in the state of Maharashtra. And on the basis of recommendations arising out of the AGRISCO meeting, these are approved