Department of Agricultural Entomology

About Agricultural Entomology

Agricultural entomology is the branch of entomology that focuses on the study of insects and other arthropods in the context of agriculture. This field examines how insect pests affect crops, and other agricultural systems, both positively and negatively. Agricultural entomologists seek to understand insect behaviour, ecology, and physiology to develop sustainable strategies for managing pests and promoting beneficial insect populations.

Key Aspects of Agricultural Entomology:

1.     Pest Management:
  • One of the primary concerns of agricultural entomology is pest management. Insects such as aphids, caterpillars, beetles, and weevils can damage crops, leading to reduced yields and economic losses.
  • Integrated pest management (IPM) is a common approach that combines biological, cultural, mechanical, and chemical control methods to manage pest populations with minimal environmental impact.
2.     Beneficial Insects:
  • Not all insects are harmful. Some are beneficial, such as pollinators (e.g., bees, butterflies), natural predators (e.g., ladybugs, predatory wasps), and decomposers (e.g., ants, certain beetles).
  • Agricultural entomologists work on Introduction, conservation and Augmentation of beneficial insects to improve crop yields and ecosystem
  • Entrepreneurship in the field of Apiculture, Sericulture, Biopesticides ,
3.     Insect-Plant Interactions:
  • Agricultural entomologists study the interactions between insects and plants, including how pests feed on plants and how certain plants defend themselves against insect attacks (e.g., through chemical defences or physical traits like thorns).

Faculty Members

Mr. Rajan T. Shelke
 
Mr. Rajan T. Shelke
Designation: Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Entomology
Work Experience: 8 years
Academic credentials/Achievements:
  • Awarded Aspee Foundation Mumbai Medal for having stood first in the university in B. Sc. (Agri) Entomology and plant pathology for the year 2012-2013
  • Awarded Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth Medal for having stood first in the university in B. Sc. (Agri.) for the year 2012-2013
  • Awarded Sir Robert Allen Medal for having stood first in the university in B.Sc. (Agri) for the year 2012-2013.
  • Awarded Gold Medal for standing 1st in the university in M.Sc. Agril. Entomology for the year 2015.
  • Awarded as Best Student at M.Sc. Agri. for the year 2014 -15 for meritorious Academic performance and participation in sports, NSS, Debate, Elocution, Youth festival and other co-curricular activities.
  • 86th rank in ICAR’S AIEEA-PG-2013.
  • ASB NET in Agricultural Entomology-2015, 2018.
  • Research Articles (peer reviewed journals or Scopus) -14, Book chapter-1, Book with ISBN no- 01, Popular Articles-10, Technical Folder- 05 Editor- 01, Poster presentation at National and International Conferences-02
  • Invited Paper Presentation on “Status of Meliponiculture in the state of Goa” in two days National Conclave on Stingless honey Bees 2024 held at YCMA Thiruvanthapuram on 18-19 June 2024 organized by federation of Indigenous Apiculturists, ICAR, Entomological Society of India (ESI) and NABARD.
  • Resource person to- ATMA, Directorate of Agriculture, Goa, GIPARD etc.
  • Memberships Life member of Botanical Society of Goa Since, 2019.Member on agriculture committee of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 2017-2019.Life Member of Entomological Society of India.
  • Chairperson- College Examination Committee 2018-2020 & 2023-2026.
Mr. Shashank G. Naik
Mr. Shashank G. Naik
Designation: Assistant Professor in Agricultural Entomology
Work Experience: 2 Years
Academic credentials/Achievements:
  • National Eligibilty Test (NET) by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi 2023
  • Participated in National Conclave on Stingless Honeybees, Trivandrum Kerala
  • Participated in International Conference on Plant Health Management, Hyderabad
  • Shashank Gopal Naik, Ashwani Kumar (2023).Field efficacy and economics of certain chemicals and biopesticides against brinjal shoot and fruit borer [Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee)]. Pharma Innovation 2023;12(6):2937-2940
  • Rajan Shelke and Shashank Naik (2024). Ovipositional Preference of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) in Palm Species in Goa. Indian Journal of Entomology, 1-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55446/IJE.2024.1910
  • A book chapter on “ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI IN PEST MANAGEMENT” in Recent Trends in Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences ISBN: 978-81-963468-6-7
  • Member of Entomological Society of India
  • Coleopterist society Social media team member

Non-Teaching Staff

Ms. Mamata P. Udpikar

Courses in Agricultural Entomology

Sr.No.YearSemesterCourse No.CreditsCourse Title
1Ist YearIIENTO 1212(1+1)Fundamentals of Entomology
2IInd YearIIIENTO 2322(1+1)Insect Ecology and Integrated pest
Management
3IInd YearIVENTO 2432(1+1)Pest of Horticultural Crops and their
Management
4IIIrd YearVENTO 3542(1+1)Pests of Crops and Stored Grain and
their Management
5IIIrd YearVIENTO 3652(1+1)Management of Beneficial Insects
6IVth YearVIIRAWE 47051(0+1)Agricultural Entomology
7IVth YearVIIIELM ENTO 480810(0+10)Mass Production of Bio-agents and
Bio-pesticides
8IVth YearVIIIELM ENTO 480910(0+10)Commercial Beekeeping
9IVth YearVIIIELM ENTO 481010(0+10)Silkworm cocoon production technology

Courses Outcome

Students learn fundamentals of Agricultural Entomology and understand insect behavior, ecology, and physiology to develop sustainable strategies like by biological, cultural and chemical methods for managing pests and promoting beneficial insect populations. Further, they study about different Insect pest, symptoms, nature of damage, their habitat. They develop skills in multiplication of bee colony and their management.

In the ELM module, students will learn and develop entrepreneurial skills in project writing, parameters to evaluate financial viability of projects, Commercial Beekeeping, Silkworm cocoon production technology and Mass Production of Bio-agents and Bio-pesticides and its application.

Research Project:

  1. Studies on molecular and morphological diversity, conservation of stingless honeybee species in breeding centre and livelihood training in Goa.

Research Consultancies

  1. Research project in Collaboration with SPOTTA pvt. Ltd UK: to study the technology’s efficacy to work for detection of RPW through lab and arena experiments. Rs. 1,00,000/-
  2. Name of Project: Awareness and training program in Bee-Keeping for local farmers of Sanguem and quepem talukas of Goa

Funded by: NABARD, Year of Funding:2018-19, Amount of Fund received- 1,35,000/-

  1. Principal Investigator/consultant for Project entitled “Field Evaluation of Red Palm Weevil and Rhinoceros beetle pheromone lures of Amityna Agritech Pvt. Ltd.” Duration: March to August 2024 Funded by: Amityna Agritech Pvt. Ltd.”

Amount Received: 1,00,000/-

Technical Bulletins

  1. Cashew stem and root borer (CSRB) and
  2. Pest of watermelon and their
  3. Rice caseworm and
  4. Red palm weevil and its management in coconut
  5. Honey bee rearing for honey production in

Book Publication

  1. Butterflies of Don bosco college of Agriculture

Research article

  1. Shelke R.T., S.M. Gaikwad, S.S. Jadhav 2016.Entomopathogenic Fungi and their Combination Against Jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida) on Bt Cotton Under Field Conditions in Maharashtra Advances in Life Sciences 5(8):3162-3168.
  2. Shelke T., A. S. Damre, S.S. Jadhav 2016.Entomopathogenic Fungi against Thrips (Thripstabaci L.) on Bt Cotton under Field Conditions in Maharashtra MULTILOGIC IN SCIENCE: 177-182.
  3. Gaikwad M., R. T. Shelke, A. S. Damre , R. V. Nakat 2017. Biology of Invasive papaya Mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus williams and granarade willink under laboratory conditions MULTILOGIC IN SCIENCE: 58-61(NASS Rating 5.20).
  4. Gaikwad M., Nakat, R.V. and R. T. Shelke 2017. Pathogenicity of entomopathogenic fungi on Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granarade Willink J Biopest: 66-70.
  1. Rajan Shelke and Gourish Karanjalker 2020. A report on the incidence of coconut nut borer in Goa. Insect environment 2020, 23:24-26
  2. Shelke R T and Kolambkar RA2020.Economic analysis of beekeeping (Apiscerana indica) in South-Goa district of Goa state International Journal of Chemical Studies; SP-8(4): 278-280
  1. Shelke R T, Kulkarni Rajendrarao and Vaz Riya 2020. Indigenous technology in beekeeping of stingless bees (Trigona sps.) by locals of south Goa, India International Journal of Chemical Studies 2020: SP-8(4): 407-40
  2. T. Shelke, Rajender Rao Kulkarni, R. R. Kawale. Traditional techniques in management of stored grain pests from Goa Journal of Postharvest Technology 2021, 09(2): 52-57
  3. Rajan Shelke and Suresh Kunkalikar. First report on natural incidence of cucumber moth Diaphania indica Saunders (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on watermelon in Goa. Insect environment 2021, 24:240-241.
  4. ​Rajan Shelke and R. Faleiro. A laboratory study on oviposition in fresh palm dates by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier. Insect environment 2021, 24 (3):404-406.
  5. Rajan Shelke. Field evaluation of red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus olivier pheromone lures. Indian Journal of Entomology (Online published Ref. No. e21168) DoI.: 10.55446/IJE.2021.363.
  6. Rajan Shelke   and  Shashank    OVIPOSITIONAL  PREFERENCE  OF

RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS (OLIVIER) IN PALM SPECIES IN GOA. Indian

Journal of Entomology DoI. No.: 10.55446/IJE.2024.1910

  1. RAJAN SHELKE and ANDREA CHERADIL. RECEPTIVITY OF INJURED AND AGED COCONUT PETIOLE FOR OVIPOSITION BY RED PALM WEEVIL RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS (COLEOPTERA:CURCULIONIDAE) Review on

Agriculture and Rural Development 2022 vol. 11 (1-2) ISSN 2677-0792 DOI: 10.14232/rard.2022.1-2.193-196

  1. Binu Antony a,* , Nicolas Montagn´e b , Arthur Comte b , Sara Mfarrej c , Jernej Jakˇse d , R´emi Capoduro b , Rajan Shelke e , Khasim Cali f , Mohammed Ali AlSaleh a , Krishna Persaud f , Arnab Pain c , Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly b. Deorphanizing an odorant receptor tuned to palm tree volatile esters in the Asian palm weevil sheds light on the mechanisms of palm tree selection. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ELSEVIER).

Abstract Publication

  1. Rajan Shelke and Andrea cheradil. Receptivity of injured and aged coconut petiole for oviposition by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier. 19 thWellmann international scientific conference, 2022 pp21.
  2. Rajan Shelke and Satish Patil. Effect of Bio-Pesticide on Predatory Coccinellid and Chrysopa under field condition in Maharashtra in National Seminar on Recent Trends in Microbial Technology organised by College Quepem Goa on 8 th & 9 th Feb 2019, Pp51.
  3. Rajan Shelke “Status of Meliponiculture in the state of Goa”

Trainings to students, SHG and Farmers

1. Commercial
Awareness programs

 

Activities

1. B. Sc. (Agriculture) Students from Agriculture college, Phondaghat,
Maharashtra visited Apiculture Unit
2.Awareness programme on Bee-keeping
3.Visit of School children to Lab
4.Training for farmers on Integrated Pest Management
Project With Spotta Pvt Ltd UK
Seminars

Organized International webinar on “Advances in Red palm Weevil Research and Management” (International Year of Plant Health Event) date: 8th September, 2020.

Awareness and training program in Bee-Keeping for local farmers of Sanguem and quepem talukas of Goa 2018-19
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