Acarines are prominent pests of field crops, granaries, warehouses and animals (arthropods, birds) causing heavy financial losses. House dust acarines are notorious agents of allergic reactions in human beings and other mammals. Acarines because of their small size and cryptic habitat are difficult to detect and hence most of the time infestations are overlooked. Once established in a new area, certain biological characteristics like high fecundity, various modes of reproduction, short life cycles, a myriad of dispersal techniques and adaptability to diverse ecological conditions allow rapid escalation to pest status. On the other hand, acarines are among the major resources for biological control of various classes of pests including insets, nematodes and weeds. These widely distributed microscopic animals ranging from free living to parastic forms and terrestrial to aquatic forms require specialized techniques for handling. The literature regarding their biodiversity, collection, rearing, biology etc. are scattered and most of the time unavailable to scientists interested to work on them. Hence, a comprehensive book on agricultural acarology is prepared which covers all aspects of acarine biodiversity, acarological techniques and their role as bio-control agent in an abridged form. The book is divided into three sections- 'Acarine biodiversity', 'Acarological techniques' and 'Acarines as biocontrol agents'. Acarine biodiversity contains six chapters, one each on plant, stored, soil, house dust, parastic and water mites. In second section, details on techniques of collection and extraction, preparation and mounting, labeling and housing the collection, culturing, counting and bioassay are given in individual chapters. Information related to predatory potential of acarines against insects, nematodes and weeds in included in third section in three chapters. The book has been liberally furnished with illustrations for better understanding. An extensive list of references and glossary are also provided at the end of the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR B.S. Chhillar
Dr. B.S. Chhillar is Director of research at CCSHAU, Hisar. He received his B.Sc. (Ag. & A.H.) degree from PAU, Ludhiana in 1968, his M.Sc (Entomology Hons.) degree from HAU, Hisar in 1970 and his Ph.D in 1980. At the CCSHAU, he also served as Associate Dean Post Graduate Studies, Professor and Head, department of Entomology. In addition, he served as Secretary, Board of Studies of College of Agriculture. He has a vast experience of 35 years in the field of entomology in research, teaching and extension. He has been a pioneer worker in sugarcane entomology. He has about 50 research publication, 12 books/compendiums, 5 practical manuals and other extension articles to his credit and more than 20 PG students. As Director, centre for Advanced Studies (ICAR), Department of Entomology, CCSHAU, Hisar, he has organized eight national level trainings of three to four weeks duration each for scientists of SAU's and ICAR institutes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Praduman Bhatnagar
Dr. Praduman Bhatnagar is Senior District Extension Specialist cum Co-ordinator, KVK, Hisar. He also served as Entomologist (Pulses) in the Department of Plant Breeding, CCSHAU, Hisar and Senior Scientist (Entomology) at Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal for a brief period. he has been engaged in research activities in different crops for the last 12 years. He has experience of working in veterinary entomology and extension entomology. He has 28 research papers, 5 chapters in a monograph and 110 extension articles to his credit.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rachna Gulati
Dr. Rachna Gulati is scientists working in the department of Entomology, CCSHAU, Hisar. She obtained her Ph.D. on storage mites and guided PG students on Mites. She has worked with mites since 1990. She has experience on various aspects of acarines particularly storage, plant, honeybee and nematophagous mites. She has over 40 research publications, one book as co-Author on grain storage (CSIR, New Delhi) and one compendium on entomological techniques and several extension articles.
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