Assam: Tocklai Tea Research Institute introduces Reduviid bugs for pest control

In a groundbreaking initiative, the Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI) has begun utilizing a biological approach to manage pest infestations in tea gardens by breeding and deploying Reduviid Bugs, a native carnivorous insect of Assam.

This eco-friendly strategy aligns with sustainable agricultural practices, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides that often harm the environment and disrupt biodiversity. 

Reduviid Bugs, known for their predatory nature, target a variety of tea garden pests, including looper caterpillars and tea mosquitoes, which are major threats to tea crops.

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By breeding these beneficial insects in controlled environments and releasing them strategically into affected areas, TTRI aims to establish a natural pest management system. 

This initiative is expected to improve tea yield and quality while preserving the ecological balance of the tea garden ecosystem.

This initiative is part of TTRI's broader commitment to sustainable tea cultivation, and the institute is hopeful that it will serve as a model for other tea-growing regions.