Introduction to Lac & Lac Culture

Introduction to Tech. Tech. Bull. FBTI : 01/2011 01/2011 Lac and Lac Culture

1

IntroductIon to LAc And LAc cuLturE dr.. SAI dr SAILES LESh h chA chAt t top topAdh Adhy yAy

Department of forest Biology & tree improvement faculty of forestry

Bisa Agilal uivesi, Kake, rai-834 006 (Jaka)

MAy, 2011

Forward

T

he compilation “Introduction to Lac and Lac Cultivation” is

praiseworthy & will serve as a reference for undergraduate

students of Agriculture and Forestry Faculty.

Lac is a unique commodity as it is probably the only known resin of animal origin. Lac insects settle closely on the twigs of Palas, Ber or Kusum, suck the plant sap and grow to form encrustations. Lac insects yield resin, lac dye and lac wax. Improvement in health and nutrition of host plants and scientific methods of rearing the insects is essential for sustained returns from lac cultivation. With increasing demand of Aleuritic acid (a constituent of acid of shellac) in the world market as an ingredient of perfumes and pharmaceuticals, further studies on lac culture has become essential. I congratulate the author for his sincere efforts.

Place : BAU, Ranchi Date : 01-05-2011

A.K. Sarkar Dean (Agriculture)

Hkkjrh; izkÑfrd jky ,oa xks an la LFkku ukedqe] jk¡ ph & 834010 ¼>kj[k.M½ INDIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND GUMS (FORMERLy INDIAN LAc RESEARch INSTITUTE) NAMkUM, RANchI

Dr.A. Bhattacharya Principal, Scientist & Head

Message I

have gone through the book entitled ‘introduction to Lac and Lac Culture’ Writen by Dr. Sailesh Chattopadyay, Faculty o Forestry, Birsa Agriculture University, Ranchi. The

book deals with basics o Lac Culture in simple language. I conrm that it would be a valuable and useul book or the students and scientists associated with Lac Culture.

A. Bhattacharya

Phone: (91) 0651 - 2260117, 2261156

Fax :0651 - 2260202

Email : [email protected] Website: http://ilri.ernet.in www.icar.org.in/ilri/deault.htm

FAcULTy OF FORESTRy BIRSA AGRIcULTURAL UNIVERSITy Date : 01-05-2011

Dr. S. Chattopadhyay Associate Proessor Department o Forest Biology & Tree Improvement

Acknowledgement L

ac has been one o the important non-wood orest produce being utilized by the human society since time immemorial and lac arming provides subsidiary income to mainly poor subsistence

level tribal armers in the orest tracts o the country. The practices o lac culture are getting expanded in dierent regions o newly created Jharkhand state and necessity o a comprehensive account o Lac culture was strongly elt by all concerned. The present manual will be very useul or students, teachers and research workers concerned with lac culture. I express my appreciation to Dr. Bangali Baboo, ex-Director, Indian Institute o Natural Resins and Gums (ICAR) and present National Director (NAIP) at ICAR, New Delhi or his support, advice and helpul suggestions in writing the manual. I convey my regards to Dr. N. N. Singh, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Birsa Agricultural University or rendering his clarity o thought in the ruitul execution o the work. I wish to express my indebtness to Dr. A. K. Sarkar, Dean, Faculty o Agriculture, Dr. S. K. Singh, Dean, Faculty o Forestry, Dr. B.N.Singh, Director Research, Dr. Balraj Singh, Dean P.G.s. -cum-D.R.I., and Dr. S.M. S. Quli, Head Department o Forest Biology and Tree Improvement or their support and encouragement in various ways or bringing out this publication. Sincere thanks are also due to Sri Amit and Sri Imtiaj or taking painul job o typing the manuscript. This publication has been made out o ICAR Development grant with whole hearted technical as well as moral support o Dr. A.K. Sarkar, Dean (Agriculture).

Sailesh Chattopadhyay P.O. : Kanke, Ranchi - 834006, Jharkhand • Tele/Fax : 0651-2450835

Email : [email protected]

Page No. INTRODUCTION

S T N E T

01

Why Lac Cultivation History o lac and its organization WHAT IS LAC?

05

Ari and Phunki Lac Lac and its orms Composition o Lac Properties o Lac Uses o Lac LAC HOSTS

08

Area wise utilization o lac hosts Essential characteristics o lac hosts LAC PRODUCTION IN INDIA

10

STRAINS OF LAC AND LAC CROPS

10

LIFE HISTORY OF LAC INSECT

12

LOCAL CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF LAC

14

SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF LAC CULTIVATION

15

Selection o suitable host plant Selection o suitable site or lac cultivation Coupe system Preparation o eeding ground or lac insect Pruning operation Objectives o pruning Types o pruning Pruning time Pruning instruments

N

Collection o brood lac Selection o brood lac Inoculation o brood lac Punki removal

O

Harvesting

ENEMIES OF LAC INSECTS

C

21

Vertebrate enemies Insect enemies Microbial ora

LAC CULTIVATION VIS A VIS ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMY CONSERVATION AND RURAL

26

Introduction to Lac and Lac Culture

L

ac is a natural resinous substance o proound economic importance in India. It is the only resin rom animal origin lending itsel to diverse applications e.g. as a protective and decorative

coating in the orm o thin lms, adhesives and plastics. It makes a small but signicant contribution to the oreign exchange earning o the country, but the most important role that the lac plays in the economy o the country is that roughly 3-4 million tribal people, who constitute the socioeconomically weakest link o Indian population earn a subsidiary income rom its cultivation. India is the major producer o lac, accounting or more than 50% o the total world production. It virtually held a monopoly in the lac trade during the period o the world war-I, producing nearly 90% o the world’s total output. Today an average o about 20 -22 thousand tons o stick lac (raw lac) is produced in the country per year. Most o the lac produced in India is rom homestead land and wasteland. Usually host trees standing on rayyati lands are used or lac cultivation and in some areas trees on Government land are taken on lease or rental basis.

Why Lac Cultivation ? 

A good source o livelihood resource or poor armers.



Assured source o income during drought years.



Require meager inputs (like water, pesticides etc.)



Most suitably grown on marginal and degraded land.



No competition with other horticultural, agricultural crops or land and arm operation.



Do not harm host tree health neither other ora and auna.



Avoids migration o rural population to urban areas.



Increases opportunities or women or better occupation and returns.

HISTORY OF LAC AND ITS ORGANIZATION : Lac has been known in India rom time immemorial. The term “Lac” seems to have been derived rom the Sanskrit word “Laksha” meaning a hundred thousand and is suggestive o the large number o insects involved in its production. The description o the insect and its host plant (Food plant) – Palas (Lakshataru) is recorded in the Atharva Veda. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata that Kauravas built the highly inammable lakhagriha or Jadugriha (Lac house) with a motive o physically eliminating Pandavas by setting the lac palace on re. The Ain-i-Akbari o 16 th Century records the use o pigmented lac varnishes or painting screens. The use o lac was known to ancient Greek and Romans also. Increasing demand o lac products ater World War-II has received attention in the present century. In order to increase the production o lac by scientic methods, an association named Indian Lac Association (I.L.A) was ormed in 1921, Lac Research Institute (L.R.I) was established at Namkum, Ranchi in 1924, with a view to have greater participation o the G overnment. In 1930, the Indian Lac Cess Committee (I.L.C.C.) was ormed and the committee took over the Indian Lac Research Institute (ILRI) in 1957. Then the need or a Lac Extension wing was elt and thereater a Lac Extension Wing (L.E.W.) under the Indian Lac Cess Committee (I..L.C.C.) was created.

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The Indian Lac Research Institute (I.L.R.I.) was taken over by the Indian Council o Agriculture Research (I.C.A.R.) in 1966. Responding to the opening up o economic policies, globalization o industries and agricultural enterprises, the Indian Lac Research Institute ( I.L.R.I. ) has undergone a structural change and its priorities have been redened, widening the scope and mandate o the institute. Besides research and development on all aspects o lac; processing and product development o other natural resins and gums have been brought under the ambit o research. Thereore, ILRI has been upgraded as Indian Institute o Natural Resins and Gums ( I.I.N.R.G. ) w.e.. September 20, 2007. An Advisory body viz. the Indian Lac Development Council (I.L.D.C.) was also constituted by Govt. o India to give the due representation to the lac growing states and other interested in lac cultivation and its trade. The Directorate o Lac Development was transerred to the Ministry o Environment & Forests, in January, 1985. Later the Directorate o Lac Development was merged with Forest Research Institute (F.R.I.), Dehradun with eect rom July, 1987 under the same ministry due to re-organization o subordinate and eld ofcers o Ministry. Presently the Institute o Forest Productivity (Ex-Directorate o Lac Development), Ranchi is directly unctioning under Indian Council o Forestry Research & Education (I.C.F.R.E.), Dehradun. The main unctions o the Institute o Forest Productivity or Lac development are as ollows :1.

To collect and compile various statistical data on lac concerning production, prices, internal consumption, export, dispatches etc. or use o government departments.

2.

To orecast and assess lac production in the country.

3.

To maintain regionally located Nucleus Brood Lac Farms or demonstration o improved methods o lac cultivation and supply o quality brood-lac to the villagers and user agencies.

4.

To maintain liaison between Central and State government, concerning lac development work.

5.

To render technical advice to the State government & other organizations on planning o lac cultivation, marketing, exports etc.

6.

To maintain an air-condition godown meant or storing shellac, seed lac etc. at Kolkata (West Bengal) which has been leased out to Central Warehousing Corporation

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL RESINS AND GUMS ( I.I.N.R.G. ): Indian Institute o Natural Resins and Gums (I.I.N.R.G.), ormerly Indian Lac Research Institute (I. L. R. I.) located at Ranchi, Jharkhand, is a nodal Institute at national level or research and development on all aspects o natural resins, gums and gum-resins including LAC, such as production, processing, product development, training, inormation repository, technology dissemination and national / international cooperation.

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Indian Lac Research Institute (I.L.R.I.) came into existence as a result o the recommendation o a two member committee comprising o Mr. H.A.F. Lindsay and Mr C.M.Harlow appointed early in 1920 by the then Govt o India to enquire into the conditions o the Indian Lac trade and suggest measures or its all-round improvement. The report o the committee was published in 1921. They had recommended, besides other aspects, or intensive cultivation by signicantly tested methods or sustained lac production. In view o this suggestion, the then lac merchants organized themselves into a private registered body ,the Indian Lac Association or Research. The Association acquired land rom the provincial government and the oundation o the Indian Lac Research Institute (I.L.R.I.) was laid on Sep.20, 1924. It started unctioning under the Founder Director, Mrs. Dorothy Norris. In 1930, on the recommendation o the Royal Commission or Agriculture, the Indian Lac Cess Act was passed by the Central Legislature. Under this Act, the Govt o India constituted the Indian Lac Cess Committee which took over the Institute rom Lac Association in 1931. Ater the Second World War, the First & Second Review Committees set up in 1951 and 1956, ormed broad research programmes with equal emphasis on undamental and applied research. During the period, our Regional Field Research Stations (R.F.R.S.) were set up at Jhalda (West Bengal), Damoh, Umaria (Madhya Pradesh) and Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) to take up regional problems. Later, Regional Testing Laboratories were also established to support lac manuacturers or quality control o dierent types o lac manuactured by them. These were set up at Gondia (Maharashtra), Jhalda (West Bengal) in 1959, at Balrampur (West Bengal) and Daltonganj (erstwhile Bihar) in 1961 and at Namkum, Ranchi (erstwhile Bihar) in 1962. Indian Council o Agricultural Research (I.C.A.R.) took over the administrative control o the Institute on 1st April,1966, with the abolition o the Lac Cess Committee on this day. The Institute was strengthened and reconstituted in December 1971, based on the recommendation o Sheshadri Committee, into ve devisions, viz. Entomology, Chemistry, Agronomy & Plant Genetics, Technology and Extension.

Present status o IINRG or Lac development The IINRG has responded to the globalization o lac and lac-based industries and agricultural enterprises o the country as well as structural and unctional reorganization o ICAR. The Institute also has undergone structural changes and the priorities have been redened. The erstwhile divisions and sections have been abolished and the scientic manpower has now been divided into three divisions. Viz. Lac Production, Processing and Product Development and Transer o Technology. Since its inception, the Institute has played a signicant role in creating awareness among the tribals about the benet o scientic methods o lac cultivation. It has persistently endeavored to boost, optimize and disseminate appropriate technologies or Scientic methods o lac cultivation and oers packages and practices or all major lac hosts. The Institute has been disseminating these technologies to the growers belonging to weaker sections, who cultivate lac in an area encompassing about 80,000 sq. km. covering the states o Jharkhand, West Bengal, U.P., M.P., Chhattisgarh, A.P.,

3


Maharashtra and Orissa. Presently the Institute has attained international recognition or its contribution in cultivation and utilization aspects o lac.

MANDATE The mandate o the Institute or Lac Development is : (i)

To develop lac culture technologies, adopting existing or genetically improved lac insects and lac hosts.

(ii)

To develop lac processing techniques or the industry.

(iii)

To conduct researches or diversication o lac utilization leading to pilot plant demonstration.

(iv)

To transer the technologies to armers and entrepreneurs.

(v)

To act as a repository o inormation on lac production, processing and utilization.

4


WHAT IS LAC? Lac is a natural, biodegradable, non-toxic, odourless, tasteless, hard resin and non-injurious to health. Lac is, in act, a resinous protective secretion o tiny lac insect, Kerria lacca (Kerr.) which belongs to the amily Tachardidae in the super amily Coccoidea o the order Hemiptera. The lac insect is a pest on a number o plants both wild as well as cultivated. The tiny red–coloured larvae o lac insect settle on the young succulent shoots o the host plants in myriads and secrete a thick resinous uid which covers their bodies. The secretion rom the insects orm a hard continuous encrustation over the twigs. The encrusted twigs are harvested and the encrusted twigs scraped o, dried and processed to yield the lac o commerce which is regarded as Non Wood Forest Product (NWFP) o great economic importance to India.

ARI LAC AND PHUNKI LAC: I lac crops are harvested by cutting down the lac bearing twigs a little beore the larval emergence, that lac is known as ARI LAC ( iature lac ) or ater the emergence is over, that is called PHUNKI LAC ( epty lac ).

LAC AND ITS FORMS Stick lac

:

The lac encrustations is separated by knie or broken o with nger rom the twig o host plants and is known is STICK LAC or CRUDE LAC or RAW LAC.

Seed lac

:

The stick lac, ater grinding and washing, is called SEED LAC or CHOWRI.

Shellac

:

The manuactured product prepared rom stick lac ater washing and melting, which takes the orm o yellow coloured akes, is called SHELLAC.

Button lac

:

Ater melting process, lac is dropped on a zinc sheet and allowed to spread out into round discs o about 3” diameter and 1/4” thickness is called BUTTON LAC

Garnet lac

:

It is prepared orm inerior seed lac or kiri by the solvent extraction process. It is dark in colour and comparatively ree rom wax.

Bleached lac

:

It is a rened product obtained by chemical treatment. It is prepared by dissolving shellac or seed lac in Sodium carbonate solution, bleaching the solution with Sodium hypochlorite and precipitating the resin with sulphuric acid. Bleached lac deteriorates quickly and should be used within 2-3 months o manuacture.

5


Seed lac

Shellac

Button lac

Garnet lac

COMPOSITION OF LAC The major constituents o stick lac or crude lac are resin, sugar, protein, soluble salt, coloring matter, wax, volatile oils, sand, woody matters and insect bodies. The resin is always associated with an odorierous principle, a wax and a mixture o three dyes. Removal o both wax and dye results in a marvelous colourless and transparent resin having all the characteristic properties o the resin. Chemical analysis has revealed that the resin is made o at least six major chemical components o dierent molecular complexities. The building blocks o lac are mainly hydroxyaliphatic and sequiterpenic acids which are present in the proportion o 50:50. The basic blocks are however aleuritic and jalaric acids. The ormer is 9, 10, 16 – trihydroxy palmitic acid and the later adihydroxymonocarboxylic sesquiterpenic acid having an aldehyde unction.

Composition o stick lac

Lac resin Lac wax Lac dye Others

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-

68% 6% 1% 25%


Lac resin

: It is an ester complex o long chain hydroxy atty acids and sesquiterpenic acid.

Lac dye

: It is an anthraquinone derivative.

Lac wax

: It is the mixture o higher alcohol, esters, acids and hydrocarbons.

Properties o lac The important properties o lac are as ollows : (i)

Soluble in alcohol and weak alkalis

(ii)

Capacity o orming uniorm durable lm.

(iii)

Possess high scratch hardness

(iv)

Resistance to water

(v)

Good adhesive nature

(vi)

Ability to orm good sealers, undercoat primers.

(vii)

Capacity to allow quick rubbing with sandpaper without slicking or gumming.

No other single resin, both natural or synthetic, possess so many desirable properties and so lac is also termed as mULTIPURPOSE RESIN .

Uses o lac: Because o its unique combination o properties, lac nds a wide variety o application in paint, electrical, automobile, cosmetic, adhesive, leather, wood nishing and other industries. Earlier about hal o the total output was consumed in gramophone industry. Lac has long been in use both or decorative and lacquers o various kinds and insulating varnishes. It is usually used as a rst coating on wood to ll the pores and also applied to seal knots likely to exude resin and disgure or spoil nished paint work. Lac is used in manuacture o glazed paper, printing and water proong inks, lac bangles, dry mounting tissue paper, dental plates and optical rames. It is also used as a coat or metal ware to prevent tarnishing and or nishing various products such as playing cards, oil cloth and linoleum and or preserving archeological and zoological specimen. In electrical industry, lac is used as coating o insulator, coating o spark plugs, cement o sockets o electrical lamp, antitracking insulating etc. In Pharmaceutical industry, lac is used in coating o tablets, micro-encapsulation o vitamins and coating o medicines. Lac dye is used in dying o wool and silk, sot drink ormulation, pill coating, conectionary and chocolate coating. Lac wax has wide variety o uses in manuacturing shoe polishes, tailor’s chalk, lipstick, crayons (or writing in glass). Now a days it is also used in ruit coating.

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LAC HOSTS The lac insects thrive on the sap o certain plants called lac hosts. So ar, over our hundred species o plants have been recorded as hosts o which those are o importance rom the commercial stand point are- Palas (Butea onospera), Kusum (Schleichera oleosa), Ber (Zizyphus auritiana). Other important lac host plants are Khair (Acacia catechu), Ghont (Zizyphus zylopyra), Barh (Ficus bengalensis), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Arhar (Cajanus cajan), Galwang (Albizia lucida) etc.

Palas

Kusum

Ber

IMPORTANT LAC HOST PLANTS A bushy host plant species, Fleingia seialata Roxb. (Leguminaceae : Papilionacae), has been identied and eld tested as a potential ast growing host or intensive lac cultivation during winter season lac crop o KUSmI STRAIN ( AGHANI ) or increasing lac production to match with the growing global demand o lac.

Fleingia seialata (Lac host plant)

8


Area wise utilization o lac hosts are given below :1.

Palas

It is commonest lac host through out the greater part o

(Butea onospera)

India, extending rom North West Himalaya up to 900 m; in hills o South India upto 1200 m.

2.

3.

Kusum

Through out Central and South India, Jharkhand, Madhya

(Schleichera oleosa)

Pradesh, Orissa and parts o Karnataka and Tamilnadu.

Ber

Important lac host in Murshidabad and Malda districts

(Zizyphus auritiana)

o West Bengal and Hoshiarpur district o Punjab State, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh

4.

Khair (Acacia catechu)

Only Jharkhand State (Chotanagpur area)

5.

Ghont (Zizyphus zylopyra)

Mainly cultivated in some parts o Northern Madhya Pradesh and Southern Uttar Pradesh

6.

Jallari (Shorea talura)

It is the host plant in parts o Mysore & Chennai

7.

Galwang (Albizia lucida)

It is an important lac host in Assam and has also given good results in Chotanagpur area in Jharkhand.

8.

Ficus spp. (F. religiosa,

These are universal in occurrence and rom which

F. bengalensis, F. inectoria)

occasionally lac is collected here and there throughout India.

9.

Arhar (Cajanus cajan)

Favoured host plants in Assam

Grewia spp. (G. glabra & G. serruleta) Leea spp. (L. aspera, L. crispa & L. robusta), Ficus cunia 10.

moghania acrophylla

Common minor lac host plants o regional importance

Albizzia lucida

in Assam.

Kydia calycina Ficus ruphii

Essential Characteristics of a lac host : The actor that determines whether the lac insect will ourish on a particular host species or not is the character o the sap o host plant. It is believed that the sap reactions o a good lac host should be near about neutral or slightly acidic (e.g. pH values between 5.8 and 6.0) and that the sap density o good lac host plants in lower than that on non-lac hosts. The sap reactions o non-lac hosts shows distinct acidity or alkalinity.

9


LAC PRODUCTION IN INDIA India and Thailand are the two major producers o lac. The main lac producing states in India are Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand , Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa , Maharashtra and Gujarat. The cultivation o lac is at present mainly conned to the conventional lac hosts trees o Palas , Ber and Kusum. At present total annual average production o stick lac in India is approximately 20-22 thousand tons which orms the raw material or lac industries. Chhattisgarh ranks 1 st among the states ollowed by Jharkhand , Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra and West Bengal. These ve states contribute around 95 % o the national lac production. .Nearly 75-80% o the nished product is exported and only a small portion nearly 20 to 25 % is consumed within the country.

State wise list o the lac producing districts is given below :Sl. No. 1

State Jharkhand :

Districts Palamau, Latehar, Garhwa, Ranchi, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega, Saraikela, Hazaribagh, Chatra, East Singhbhum & West Singhbhum

2

West Bengal :

Purulia, Bankura, Midnapur, Murshidabad & Malda

3

Madhya Pradesh

Balaghat, Mandla, Hoshangabad, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Indore, Chhindwara, Rewa & Seoni.

4

Chhattishgarh :

Bilaspur, Raipur, Sarguja, Bastar, Rajnandgaon, Durg,,Kanker, Dhamtari, Korba & Raigarh.

5

Maharashtra :

Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gharchiroli, Gondia

6

Orissa

Mayurbhanj, Kendujargarh, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Koraput, Sambalpur, Nabrangpur, Keonjhar, Balasore

7

Gujarat :

Vadodara, Panchmahal, Sabarkantha

8

Uttar Pradesh :

Mirzapur, Sonebhadra

9

Bihar :

Gaya

10

Assam :

Karbi Anglong, North Silchar Hill, Nagaon.

11

Andhra Pradesh :

Adilabad, Nizamabad

12

Meghalaya :

Khasi hills, Garo hills

STRAINS OF LAC AND LAC CROPS Two strains o the lac insects are recognized in India, the RANGEENI AND KUSUMI . Each strain completes its lie cycle twice a year but the seasons o maturity dier considerably. In Mysore, the RANGEENI strain completes their lie cycle in 13 months on Jallari ( Shorea talura). There are our lac crops in a year that are named ater the Hindi months. The ollowing table summaries the inormation about our lac crops.

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Sl. No.

Inoculation with Lac Swarming larva .

Emergence o male insects

Crop harvested

Female insects mature and give rise to swarming larvae.

1

2

3

4

5

A.

RANGEENI CROPS

I

Katk i crop

Aug-Sept

Oct-Nov

Feb-March

April-May Leaving a certain amount o lac on trees to mature and act as brood in July

Sept.

Dec.-Jan

March - April

June –July

Oct-Nov

(June –July)

II

Baisakhi crop (Oct – Nov.)

B.

KUSUMI CROPS

I.

Aghani crop

June –July

Jan.-Feb.

(June-July)

II.

Jethwi crop

June –July

(Jan.-Feb.)

Lac is not always let on the trees until it matures ully, particularly in case o Baisakhi crop. When it is not mature, it (Baisakhi – ari) is cut, leaving a certain amount on the tree to act as brood or the next crop. In Rangeeni, three crops can be obtained rom the host tree such as Jalari (Shorea talura) mostly ound in Karnataka (Mysore region) and Rain tree (Saanea saan), mostly located in coastal region o West Bengal. These crops are commonly known as Trivoltine crop in which the lac insects pass through three lie cycles in thirteen months. Crop Wise lac Production Regarding share o dierent crops, Katki-33.39% (rainy season crop o Rangeeni) contributed the most in national lac production ollowed respectively by baisakhi27.35% (summer season crop o rangeeni), jethwhi 19.50% (summer season crop o kusi ) and aghani19.42% (winter season crop o kusi )

LAC ENCRUSTATION

11


LIFE HISTORY OF LAC INSECT The lac insect ( Kerria lacca ) starts its lie as a minute sot bodied nymphs, ovate in outline, slightly pointed posteriorly, nearly 0.6 mm. long excluding antennae and anal setae and about 0.25 mm across the thorax. It is crimson coloured, though yellow and white orms are also ound in nature.

LAC INSECT

The nymphs emerge in large number at certain times o the year rom the lac cells o the emale insect depending on the strains and crop seasons, and crawl over the twigs and branches o the plants in search o suitable places or settlement. They settle very gregariously. A healthy emale produces 130 to 400 nymphs. The nymphal emergence rom a emale continues or a ortnight but rom a twig comprising o many lac emales, it continues or slightly more than 3 weeks and is controlled by the climatic conditions prevailing at that time. The lac nymphs usually emerge in greater number during 8.0 to 12.0 hrs. They thrust their hair like proboscis upto phloem region to derive their nutrition. Once settled, the emale never moves during its lie time, while the male moves out only during the last phase o its lie. The emale insect then spends its entire lie alone in the lac cell. The larval settlement is very dense at rst oten completely covering the lower surace o the twigs and sometimes extending to the upper suraces as well. Density o settlement ranges rom 150 to 180 sq. cm. A day or so ater settlement, the nymph start secreting resin rom the glands, distributed under the cuticle all over the body except near the mouth parts, the breathing pores and the vent. The nymphs thus get encased in cells o their own secretion, which increases in size with the increase in the size o the insect. The male and the emale among the young larvae are not easily dierentiated by the naked eye. In most cases, the emales are preponderant, their population being about three times greater than that o the males. In some progenies the males may be in excess. Ater secretion o lac, the cell o the

12


male is elongated and shaped like a cigar, while that o the emale is more or less oval is shape. The lac ormed by the male is relatively small and thereore, the occasional preponderance o the males makes a poor crop.

The insect moults three times beore reaching maturity, the duration o each instar depending on the host species and the environmental actors. Ater the rst moult, both the emale as well as male nymphs lose their legs, antennae and eyes. The male lac cells assume slipper like appearance and a loose operculum at the rear end is clearly seen ater the second moult. During the last stage the male insects no longer eed as the mouth parts become atrophied. Subsequently ater the second moult, the nymph pass through the prepupal and pupal stage when appendages which ultimately develop into legs, antennae, eyes and wings ( except in apterous males) , aedeagus etc. are seen. The adult males, winged or wingless emerge with the hind end o the body rst by pushing the operculum. Normally the winged males occur during the summer crops and the relative number o the two orms in a colony vary considerably in dierent seasons. A male has lie o 62-92 hrs. ater emergence and copulate with the emale which continues to remain enclosed in the lac cell. A male insect is capable o ertilizing 45 emales. The emale nymphs unlike the male, do not develop the organs cast o earlier ater the rst moult except the rudimentary antennae and the organs peculiar to the emales become conspicuous. During the subsequent instars the emale nymphs become swollen in orm and loose all traces o segmentation. They assume orm o a pear or roundish bag and completely occupy the space inside the lac cells. Ater the nal and the third moult , the emale is sexually mature and is ertilized by the male . Lac secretion by the emales continue and the size o the insects as well as that o the enveloping lac cells increase at aster space. The emale lac insects thus attain size, which is several times that o a male lac cell, and are thereore, the chie source o lac secretion. The emales continue to secrete lac until eggs are laid. As the time o egg laying approaches, the emale insects contract at one side, gradually vacating space inside the enveloping lac-cells. The powdery wax and wax laments are secreted and shed in the vacated space, possibly to provide dry dressing and cushion or the uture young nymphs. The anal tubercle is gradually withdrawn inside the cells or laying eggs, which hatch into nymphs immediately ater laying. Egg laying ceases i the temperature alls below 17°c in summer and 15°c in winter. The lac nymphs inside the lac cells become inactive below the temperature o 20°c but their capacity to produce lac subsequently under avorable condition is not impaired. The bio-eatures o emales in the progeny are not adversely aected by subjecting the brood lac ( lac encrustation on a twig containing gravid eales) to temperature below 20 0c or short period.

13


LOCAL CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF LAC The cultivation practices ollowed by the lac cultivators are essentially the same throughout India except or slight deviation here and there to suit local conditions. It consists o taking repeated partial lac crop on the same tree ater allowing a ew shoots, carrying lac or sel-inoculation every time or when the crop is harvested. Keeping the trees under continuous lac inoculation and heavy pruning o brunches repeatedly to collect lac crop, leads to general loss o vitality o the trees. Also the sel inoculation o the trees lead to over-inection on the twigs and this quite oten results in whole sale mortality o the crop in season o extreme summer. Besides, this helps multiplication o enemy insects o lac resulting in ailure o crops, which ultimately orces the cultivator to abandon cultivation on most o the lac host trees. In such seasons brood lac is not readily available or purchase and i at all, a very high price has to be paid which the cultivator cannot aord to pay. The cultivator usually purchases his brood to the extent he can aord at that time and puts it on a ew trees and start cultivation cycle aresh. In avorable seasons, he reaps his crops and inoculates more o his trees and contin ues the sel inoculation repeatedly till the crop ails again. Thus production is unsteady and usually a bumper crop is obtained in cycles o 3 to 4 years. Being a subsidiary crop, lac cultivation is carried on a casual manner and the cultivator is generally satisied with what ever he gets.

14


SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF LAC CULTIVATION To start lac cultivation, two things are mainly to be taken into consideration:

a The suitable host plant on which the lac insect thrives. b Availability of healthy brood lac in time . Brood lac (in common parlance seed o other agricultural crops) is mature lac where rom the young insects are ready to come out within the time speciied. For getting the best result out o lac cultivation, the work should be planned on systematic basis. Such planning will aim at a sustained annual yield and also ensure that area under cultivation acquires sel suiciency o brood lac. Under systematic working, the host plants are cultivated and rested in turn in COUPE SYSTEm. The host trees should be properly pruned to put orth young succulent shoots beore inoculation. Only enemy insect ree brood lac should be used or inoculation. Lac crops being highly sensitive to climate vagaries, care has to be taken to provide optimum conditions or successul results.

Selection o suitable host plants Selection o suitable host plants or lac cultivation is o paramount importance because quality and yield o lac depend on this. Selected lac hosts should have the ollowing salient eatures : (i)

Fairly quick growing.

(ii)

Lower sap density.

(iii)

Well adapted to pollarding.

Selection o suitable site or lac cultivation As lac can grow only in open areas, the sites or lac host plantation should be in such a place where ree circulation o air around the host spp. is assured. Cultivation should not be attempted at places where re susceptibility is there. When starting cultivation in new areas having lac host spp., it is always desirable to prune them beore inection to ensure good lac production.

COUPE SYSTEM: A SUSTAINED YIELD BASIS OF LAC CULTIVATION The coupe system has been developed or lac production on sustai ned yield basis. I the same tree is continuously inoculated, its vitality suers and the yield o crop progressively diminishes. It is thereore, important t hat host plants are given periodic rest. The coupe system o cultivation provides or a maximum use o host plant resources consistent with their vigor and well being. In Rangeeni arms, two coupe syste with equal number o palas (Butea onospera) trees in two coupes having six (6) months rest is adopted or raising Baisakhi-cu-Katki crops in alternate seasons. The trees are inoculated with about 500g. o rangeeni brood lac per tree , in the month o Oct.-Nov.

15


Harvesting is done ater a year, ater allowing sel-inoculation in June-July by partial harvesting and then harvesting the combined Baisaki-cu-Katki crop in next Oct. Nov. In the Kusui arms, Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) is the major lac host plant species o Kusui stain o lac insect. Five coupe syste with equal number o trees in each coupe having 18 months rest in between pruning and inoculation is adopted. The trees are pruned 18 months prior to inoculation. Thereater in the subsequent crops, harvesting will serve the purpose o pruning. The harvesting o crop is done ater 6 months o inoculation.

PREPARATION OF FEEDING GROUND FOR LAC INSECTS To get a good quality lac through cultivation, it is necessary to ensure proper type o eeding ground to the lac insects. The insects have to be provided with succulent shoots, as it can not drive its slender proboscis through thick bark. For getting a good number o requisite succulent shoots the most essential operation is pruning.

Pruning Operation Pruning at proper time is one o the important operations where the branches/ twigs are cut in order to get the maximum numbers o succulent shoots to acilitate eeding o the lac insects. Improvised scientic method o pruning which is done in the brood lac arms is as ollows: Pruning is done lightly, because light pruning avoids stunted growth and allows gradual increase in the rame o the tree. Branches more than 2.5 cm in diameter (more than thickness o one’s thumb) are not cut. Branches 1.25 cm or less in diameter are cut ush with a branch or trunk rom where they arise. Branches between 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm in diameter are cut, so as to leave behind a stalk o about 30-45 cm in length. Dead and diseased branches are removed, split or broken branches are cut below the split. I trees are old and have lost their capacity to produce vigorous shoots o new ush, heavier pruning is carried out to produce the new wood at the expense o the old. Such operation will bring the tree to a better shape, so that subsequent pruning will give the desired ush. Proper pruning should result a good shape and give plenty o room or the development o new shoots.

Objectives o Pruning 

To ensure new, good, healthy and succulent shoots.



To ensure availability o large number o shoots (larger area or lac insect settlement ).



To provide rest to host plant or maintaining it vigour.



To remove dead, diseased and broken branches.

Types o pruning in lac host plants Two types o pruning/ coppicing have been recommended or lac culture.

i

16

Apical/ light pruning : Branches less than 2.5 cm diameter should be cut rom base and


branches more that 2.5 cm diameter should be sharply cut leaving a stump o 30-45 cm rom the base. Diseased and dead portion o branches should be removed completely. Light pruning is recommended or slow growing conventional tree host species like palas, kusum and ber.

ii

Basal / heavy pruning : Branches having less than 7 cm thickness should be removed rom the base, whereas thicker branches should be cut at a place where it has a diameter o 7 cm. In quick growing bushy host, pruning should be done at a height o 10-15 cm rom the ground level e.g. Fleingia acrophylla, F. seialata.

Pruning time Ater several years o experimenting at Indian Lac Research Institute ( presently I.I.N.R.G.), Ranchi, Jharkhand, it has been ound that the best results are obtained by pruning in February or raising the Katki crop and in April or raising the Baisakhi crop in the case o major Rangeeni host, ber and palas. Pruning in these months will give shoots our and six months old respectively or the lac larvae to eed on. In case o kusum, pruning is best done in the month o June-July and January – February. These months coincide with those in which the crops mature and so harvesting o the mature crop serves the purpose o pruning also. Pruning time will, however need to be adjusted to suit local conditions. Under Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand) condition the ollowing pruning times or dierent lac hosts have been ound suitable or lac culture . Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) :

Prunning should be done either in January / February or in June / July.

Khair ( Acacia catechu)

:

Pruning is to be done in March. However, harvesting o lac crop during February may be used to serve as pruning also.

Ber ( Zizyphus auritiana)

:

Pruning should be done in February or inoculation in July and in April / May or inoculation in October-November. For Kusi lac crop, ber should be pruned 5 months beore inoculation. However, recent observations have shown that harvesting o Aghani crop during February may also serve as pruning or inoculation in June – July.

Palas (Butea onospera)

:

Pruning should be done in February or lac inoculation in July and April or inoculation in October – November.

Ficus spp.

:

Pruning is to be done in April or inoculation in July and in May or inoculation in October.

Pruning instruments Most o the lac cultivators do pruning with axes. Proper pruning can not be done with the axe. I branches are cut with axe, they will either break or split. In both the cases damage to tree will be

17


caused at cutting place in orm o scraping o bark or splitting, giving opportunity or insect pest attack. The ideal pruning instruments are secateurs and long handled tree prunners. O these instruments, the most valuable are the long handled tree prunners. There are two types o secateurs. These are Roll cut secateur and the French secateur. The ormer is better and easier to use but is easily damaged by careless handling Pruning is also done with pruning knie and Dauli. The use o pruning shear and pruning saw tted in long handle makes the operation easier as the pruning is done directly by standing on ground and climbing is avoided.

Collection o brood lac

Lac sticks, having mature emale insects ready to give rise to the next generation are called brood lac . As the emale lac insect is capable o giving rise to a large number o larvae and to get the maximum benet, it is essential that the brood should be cut at the proper time, so as to secure the emergence o the maximum possible number o larvae rom it.

PREPARATION OF BROOD LAC BUNDLE

For quality o brood lac, lac crops should be harvested only when mature. The cutting o brood lac should be taken up at the correct time keeping in view the swarming period i.e. the expected date o larval emergence. The ideal time o cutting would be that which will result in the swarming, starting immediately or within a couple o days o tying the brood on the host plant.

Selection o brood lac Ater the brood lac has been cut rom the plants, it is necessary to subject it to proper examination, so that only healthy lac with the minimum signs o predator and parasite damage is selected or use as brood lac. This is necessary to minimize the chances o propagation o the insect enemies o lac insects.

Inoculation o brood lac This operation includes putting o bundles o brood lac (lac sticks containing gravid eales) in the host twigs or allowing young lac larvae (crawlers) to come out o their mother cells and settle on the host plant.

18


INOCULATION OF BROOD LAC Following aspects should be taken into consideration during inoculation operation: (i)

Pest -ree healthy brood lac should be used.

(ii)

Unwanted portions o the brood lac sticks should be removed.

(iii)

Bundles o brood lac (about 100 g. by weight) are to be prepared and put these bundles inside 60 mesh nylon netting bags (approx. size 30 x 10 cm.). These will entrap all the predators and parasites but allow the lac larvae to come out.

(iv) The brood lac bundles are tied onto the branches parallel to shoots . (v)

One meter long brood lac is sufcient to inoculate 10-15 m. long shoots o equal length.

(vi)

During the period o inoculation, there are chances o brood bundles alling o and one should go round the inoculated trees in each branch and put such bundles back on the tree.

(vii) Attempts should be made to see that the brood lac bundles are not kept on the tree or more that the minimum period required or complete inoculation. Ordinarily, this period will be two to three weeks. I the brood lac is kept even ater the lac larvae have completely emerged, there is the danger o a larger number o enemy insects emerging rom the empty (phunki) brood lac sticks and inestating the eld heavily. Inoculation period in diferent lac crops

Strain Rangeeni

Kusmi

Crops

Normal inoculation Period

Baisakhi

Oct. / Nov.

Katki

June / July

Ahgani

June / July

Jethwi

Jan. / Feb.

19


Phunki Removal The operation pertains to the removal o brood lac bundles used or inoculation purposes and the used up brood lac ater complete emergence o lac larvae rom emale cells is called phunki removal . Ordinarily the emergence o lac larvae rom the brood lac ceases ater three weeks. The phunki lac so removed is scrapped o thereater in the brood lac or more that three weeks rom the start o larval emergence to avoid emergence o enemy insects. Phunki bundles are pulled down rom the trees with the help o pole mounted Phunki hook or by climbing on trees.

Harvesting This operation is done any time ater the appearance o yellow spot which appears as a spot about a week prior to emergence o lac larvae. But in case o ari lac (immature) harvesting, the appearance o yellow spot is not considered. Yield o ari lac harvesting is about 25% less than mature crop harvesting. Harvested branches are collected and scrapped to get stick lac. Pruning instruments are used in harvesting. Secateur or long handle tree prunners are better equipments or harvesting lac crop. I there is a surplus brood lac on the host, partial harvesting is done.

Period o harvesting Type o Harvesting Partial harvesting

Complete harvesting

Trees

Period

Palas

June / July

Kusum

Jan. / Feb or June / July

Palas

Oct. / Nov. (Brood lac coupe tree) April / May (Ari coupe)

REmARK : In summer (jethwi and baisakhi crops), complete harvesting is done one week beore emergence o the larvae whereas in winter (aghani and katki crops) complete harvesting is done when emergence o larvae start.

20


ENEMIES OF LAC INSECTS There are many natural enemies o lac insects which include vertebrates, invertebrates (insect predators and parasites) and microbial ora.

Vertebrate enemies o lac insects The important vertebrate enemies are squirrels and rats and the damage caused by those enemies can be as serious as 50% o brood sticks in worst condition. Squirrels are active during the day time and the damage by them is more common under orest condition. Rats are active at night time and the damage usually occurs near about the villages. Towards the crop maturity, these pests either gnaw the mature lac encrustation on the tree and the brood lac tied to trees or inoculation and consume the ull grown lac emale insects with plenty o eggs inside them. The damage to brood lac tied to trees intereres with the inoculation, as the brood bundles and lac encrustations drop to the ground while the larval emergence is taking place. Besides squirrels and rats, monkeys also cause some damage to lac encrustations and to the newly developing shoots rom pruned trees by breaking them.

Control It is difcult to control the squirrels and rats under the open eld conditions where lac is cultivated. However scaring away o these animals or poisoning them may be adopted to keep the rodents under attack.

Insect enemies o Lac insect It has been estimated that on an average, up to 30-40% o the lac cells are destroyed by insect enemies o lac crop. At times, the enemy attack can be so serious as to result in crop ailures. These are two kinds o enemy insects :

1 Parasites & II Predators i

Parasites : All parasites causing damage to lac insect belong to the Order Hymenoptera o class Insecta. A list o parasites associated with lac insect Kerria lacca) is presented below :

Sl.No.

Name o the parasite

1.

Anicetus dodonia

-

Encyrtidae

2.

Atropates hauteeuilli

-

Encyrtidae

3.

Aphrastobracon favipennis

-

Encyrtidae

4.

Bracon greeni

-

Encyrtidae

5.

Capyloneurus indicus

-

Encyrtidae

6.

Coccophaqus tchirchii

Family

Aphelinidae

21


Sl.No.

Name o the parasite

Family

7.

Erencyrtus dewitzi

Encyrtidae

8.

Eupelus tachardiae

Eupelmidae

9.

Euryyiocnea aphelinoides

Aphelinidae

10.

Lyka lacca

Encyrtidae

11.

marietta javensis

Aphelinidae

12.

Parageniaspis indicus

Encyrtidae

13.

Parechthrodryinus clavicornis

Encyrtidae

14.

Protyndarichus subettalicus

Encyrtidae

15.

Tachardiaephagus tachardiae

Encyrtidae

16.

Teachardiobius nigricans

Encyrtidae

17.

Aprostocetus(Tetrastichus) purpureus

Eulophidae

Among the parasites listed above Tachardiaephagus tachardiae and Tetrastichus purpureus are the most abundant lac associated parasites. They lay their eggs in the lac cells and the grubs (larvae) hatching out eed on the lac insect within its cell.

II

Predators :

The predators on the other hand, are more serious and may cause damage up to 30-35 percent to the cells in a crop. The list o predators o lac insects are given below:

Sl. No.

22

Insect Predator

Order

Family

1.

Eublea aabilis

Lepidoptera

Noctuidae

2.

E. coccidiphaga

,,

,,

3.

E. cretacea

,,

,,

4.

E. scitula

,,

,,

5.

Pseudohypatopa pulverea

,,

Blastobasidae

6.

Catablea subavensis

,,

,,

7.

Cryptoblabes ephestialis

,,

,,


Sl. No.

Insect Predator

Order

Family

8.

Phroderces alcatella

,,

Cosmopterygidae

9.

Laccierophaga yunnanea

,,

Momphidae

10.

Chrysopa adestes

Neuroptera

Chrysopidae

11.

C. lacciperda

,,

,,

12.

Berginus aindroni

Coleoptera

Mycetophagidae

13.

Silvanus iyeri

,,

Cucujidae

14.

Triboliu errugineu

,,

Tenebrionidae

15.

Phyllodroia hubertiana

Dictyoptera

Blattellidae

16.

Ischonoptera ulvastrata

,,

,,

Eublea aabilis and Pseudohypatopa pulverea are the most destructive key pests o lac insects and are in regular occurrence but their incidence may vary rom season to season, place to place and crop to crop.

i Eublemma amabilis : It is the most destructive predator o lac insect and causes most damage during katki and aghani lac crops i.e. during the rainy season in comparison to the other two crops.

Lie history : A single emale moth lays greyish, at and rounded eggs singly on the test o lac insect. The newly hatched larvae, 0.51 to 0.54 mm long, get at the lac insect either through the opening o the test or by tunneling a hole through encrustation. A single larva can destroy 40-60 lac insect cells in its whole larval period. It has six generations in a year and the duration o the generations are about 37, 45, 42, 125, 80 and 40 days respectively. Attacked lac cells can easily be identied because o i ts pinkish colouration due to presence o pink coloured discs o excreta inside the hollow lac cells.

ii Pseudohypatopa pulverea : It is also destructive predator o lac insects and ound in all lac growing areas o the country. It eeds on the live and dead lac insects and is ound in large numbers in stored lac and so it is responsible or the qualitative and quantitative deterioration o stored lac.

Lie history It lays oval (0.5 mm X 0.3 mm), colourless eggs, singly on the test o lac insects. Larvae pass normally through 5 instars but the hibernating larvae have nine instars. The newly hatched larva is about 1.35

23


mm long whereas a mature larva is 10 - 12 mm in length and 2 mm in breadth. Larval stages eed on the lac larvae and spins a loose web. A single larval predator is capable o destroying 45-60 mature lac cells.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF INSECT ENEMIES Preventive measures : (i)

Parasite and predator ree brood lac should be used or inoculation.

(ii)

Sel inoculation o lac crops should be avoided as ar as possible.

(iii) Inoculated brood bundles should be kept on the host tree or a minimum period only. (iv)

Phunki (empty brood lac sticks) should be removed rom the inoculated trees in 2 – 3 weeks time.

(v)

All lac cut rom the tree and all phunki brood lac (ater use as brood lac) not required or brood purpose should be scraped or umigated at once.

(vi)

Cultivation o Kusmi strain o lac should be avoided in predominantly rangeeni area and viceversa.

Mechanical control : Use o 60 mesh synthetic netting (brood bag) to enclose brood lac or inoculation purposes can reduce inestation o enemy insects o lac. The emerging lac larvae easily crawl out rom the minute pores o the net and settle on the twigs o the lac host plants, whereas the emerging adult predator enemies can not move out o the brood bags and get entrapped within the net. This can check the egg laying by the predator moths on the new crop.

Chemical control : Application o 0.05% endosulan at 30-35 days stage o crop has been identied as the most eective dose o insecticide without any adverse eect on the economic attributes o the lac insect.

Microbial control : Use o bio- pesticide, Thuricide (Bacillus thuringiensis) at 30-35 days stage o crop is the eective microbial control measure or important enemy insects o lac in eld condition.

Biological control : Two ant predators viz. Caponotus copresus and solenopsis geinate rua are the most important and promising or biological control o predator enemies o lac in eld condition. Egg parasitoids viz. Trichograa pretiosu, T. chilonis, T. poliae, Trichograatoidea bactrae and Telenous reus have been ound to be eective in management o lac predators.

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Microbial fora associated with lac insects: Two types o microora viz. bacteria and ungi are associated with the lac insects. Bacteria act through lac hosts and could be symbiotic or pathogenic where as eect o ungi is direct either as symbiotic or as an adversary. Microbial studies conducted have revealed that our species o micro-organisms viz. micrococcus varians, m. congloerates, Clostridiu sp. and Bacillus subtilis are ound is permanent association with various stages o lac insects. Presence o various symbiotic microora is considered benecial or good yield o lac particularly during rainy season crop. Association o ungi with lac insect is not always benecial. Besides insect enemies, lac crop yield suers signicant loss due to other biotic agents particularly ungi. Fungal inection in lac culture causes severe losses o lac yield by: (i)

Killing the lac insects by inhibiting respiration.

(ii)

Hindering mating process.

(iii)

Blocking larval emergence

(iv)

Aecting lac host efciency.

Lac culture during rainy season is prone to ungal attack particularly when grown on Ber ( Ziziphus auritiana), Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) due to their steady and spreading crown. Three species o ungi belonging to amily Eurotiaceae and Aspergillaceae viz. Aspergillus awaori, Aspergillus terricola and Penicilliu citrinu are reported to cause maximum loss in lac crop. Aspergillus awaori and Penicilliu citrinu are black and greenish in colour respectively were observed to make a continuous cover on lac insect culture and thereby blocking their breathing pores and ultimately leading to mortality o lac insects. A pathogenic ungus , Pythiu sp. in emale tests, causes a heavy mortality on the larvae which ail to enclose satisactorily and lie dead in clusters within the emale resinous cell.

Prevention and control : Application o ungicides, Bavistin (carbendazim 0.05%) and Dithane M-45 (mancozeb, 0.18%) by both dipping o brood lac beore inoculation and spraying on standing crop gives signicantly better yield o lac. Signicant reduction (75% to 84%) in mortality o 2 nd inster lac nymphs/ larvae can be done by the application o dierent concentration o carbendazim and aureoungin on kusmi stain o lac insect.

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LAC CULTIVATION VIS A VIS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND RURAL ECONOMY Lac cultivation is simple, ree rom high technology and does not need large investment . It requires only part time attention o cultivators thus eminently suited to the tribal/rural people living in the vicinity o natural and man-made orests. Sustained attention on the lac cultivation will lead to the sustained production and steady returns can be achieved by adopting improved methods o cultivation. Lac insects are cultured on such host trees which are capab le o growing in wastelands. Lac culture oers viable entrepreneurial opportunities and is no doubt uniquely suited to the economy and social structure o developing countries like India. It paves the way or rural employment and rural development. Lac insects depend on the various orest species viz. Palas, Kusum, Ber, Babul, Khair etc . Failure o protection mechanism and uncontrolled illicit cutting has resulted in degradation in orest as well as the lac host plants. Lac culture can arrest orest destruction and permit gainul utilization o vast natural wealth. For the conservation o lac host plants, lac host jungle with active involvement o orest dwellers / tribals would save our natural environment and bring out eco-riendly relation between plants and animals. In the recent past, there has been considerable degradation in the environment mainly due to the actors responsible or improvement in the quality o human lie. The ecosystem o the country is in precarious state. We have been consistently losing the orest and consequently the orest resource are dwindled. The alarming resource degradation can be combated only by creation o man made orests on an adequate scale while simultaneously providing protection to our natural orests. Every tree raised on any land provide both protective and productive unctions. In India, the total wastelands in non-orest area are estimated to be 93.70 million ha in which suitable programme to check any urther deorestation and deterioration o environment. It is in this context, lac cultivation is o paramount importance in India. Promotion o lac cultivation on natural and man made orests will not only help on ecosystem development but also act as attractive alternative or economic returns o orest dwellers. The economy o people living in and around the orest is very much dependent upon the orests or sel consumption o orest products and income generation by their sale. Dependence on orest products is particularly high in villages which have not undergone agricultural development. Local people depending on the orest products or their subsistence should be trained in the cultivat ion o lac using scientiic methods. A conservation package including protection o lac host plants, their

26


management and propagation or the purpose o lac cultivation should be evolved or each region to ensure viable income to rural people. The National Forest Policy (1988) has given due importance to people’s participation in creation and conservation o resources. Participatory Forest Management is the new concept or regenerating the degraded orest. The Government should aim at the programmes leading to the socio-economic development o orest dwellers to bring down their level o dependence on orests. Lac cultivation is a programme eminently suited or the purpose in which income is generated without destruction o the orest. Further it is helpul to enrich the lac jungle. Conservation o lac jungles is o vital importance because it is not only helps to enrich the orests but also contribute in the direction o achieving the national target o 33.3 % o the orest. The conservation o these orests help to supply the basic needs o tribals on sustained basis which helps to alleviate their poverty. Tribals / rural people enjoying the benets o lac culture should be trained in the scientic methods o cultivation. Indiscriminate and unscientic exploitation should be avoided. The successul implementation o participatory orest management programme in lac cultivation is likely to ensure the twin objectives o conservation and meeting the needs o the rural people.

LITERATURE CONSULTED Anon. (1972). Indian Forest Utilization. FRI Publ. Govt. o India, Vol. II 941 pp. Anon. (1980). Silviculture o Indian trees. FRI Publ., Govt o India. Vol III Anon. (1999 – 2000). Annual Lac Bulletin. IFE (ICFRE), Ranchi. Anon. (2001). State o Forest Report, Forest Survey o India, Govt. o India. Anon. (2005). State o Forest Report, Forest Survey o India, Govt. o India. Anon. (2004 – 2005). Annual Report, Indian Lac Research Institute, Ranchi. Anon.(2007). Lac Statistics at a glance IINRG Publ., Ranchi. Beeson C.F.C..(1941) The ecology and control o orest insect pests o India and the neighbouring countries. Vasant Press, Dehra Dun. 767 pp. Chattopadhyay, S. and Pandey,O.N. (2004). Lac Jungle creation : an approach or orest conservation. In “Lac industry-convergence or resurgence”, ILRI, Ranchi.3-4. Glover,P.M. (1937). Lac cultivation in India. ILRI, Namkum Ranchi. 119 pp. Krishnaswami, S (1960) Lac cultivation in India. Farm Bulletin, Directorate o Extension, Ministry o Food & Agriculture, Govt. o India, New Delhi, 36 pp.

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Mukhopadhyay, B and Muthana, M.S. (1962). A monograph on lac., I.L.R.I., Namkum, Ranchi, India. 378 pp. Negi, P.S. (1956) Improved methods o lac cultivation, I.L.R.I. Bulletin no. 76, 11 pp. Norris, D., Glover,P.M. and Aldis, R.W. (1934) Lac and the Indian Lac Research Institute, Namkum. 53 pp. Pal, G., Bhattacharya, A and Jaiswal A.K. (1998) Lac production and processing assessment. I.C.A.R. News, 13 (4) : 4. Sen P., Maurya, R.C. and Gokulpure,R.C. (1981). On some hosts o lac insects, Kerria lacca (Kerr). Indian Forester. 107 (9) : 583- 584. Tewari, D.N. (1994) Tropical Forest Produce. International Book Distributors Publ.,Dehra Dun, 665pp. Yadav, S.K., Mishra, Y.D., Singh, B.P., Kumar, P and Singh, S.K. (2005) Kusmi lac production on Fleingia seialata. I.L.R.I. Tech. Bull. No. 5. 11pp. **********************

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29

Introduction to Lac & Lac Culture

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