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• To suppress insect pest populations below economic injury level (EIL) through Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies against major insect pests of crops, fruits, and vegetables to reduce monetary losses

• Application of biological control and other biorational approaches to mitigate losses in NIAB’s mandatory crops viz. cotton, wheat, mungbean, chickpea, sesame, olive and tomato

• Application of gamma radiations to improve the survival, shelf life and parasitic potential of insect biocontrol agents

• Use of the developed IPM products to encourage organic farming and rearing of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) for poultry feed and organic fertilizers (solid & liquid)

Ongoing Research Activities

• Rearing of beneficial insects; Trichogramma chilonis, Chrysoperla carnea, Cooccinellid beetles and their host Sitotroga and Plodia for applied biological control of crop pests

• Exposure of radiations and cold temperature for improved storage of beneficial insects and hosts explored

• Dietary manipulations of insects for the year around rearing in insectaries

• Biocontrol cards provision for area-wide application against chewing and sucking insect pests in crops, vegetables and fruits

• Eco-friendly pest monitoring through NIAB Eco-Sticky Traps in open fields and tunnels

• Sustainable management of sucking pests through biorational insecticide formulation NIAB Eco-Spray

• Facilitation of organic farming to control insect pests through safer technologies in field crops, fruit orchards and vegetables

• Rearing of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) for converting waste into valuable products like poultry feed and organic soil inputs

• Bioassay studies to screen insecticides for resistance in field populations of insect pests and beneficials e.g. Trichogramma, Aenasius, Telenomus, Chyrsoperla, S. frugiperda, H. armigera and pod bugs

• Germplasm screening of wheat, chickpea, sesame, mungbean, olive, okra and tomato for the development of insect resistant/ tolerant varieties

• Serving as federal trial agency for testing of new pesticides for registration process by regulatory body (DPP, Karachi)

Research Achievements

• Well established rearing laboratories of beneficial insects (parasitoid & predators)

• Development of artificial diets for rearing of bio control agents

• Economized production of beneficial insects by the use of gamma radiation

• Development of environment friendly and safer spray formulation “NIAB Eco-Spray” for the management of sucking insect pests

• Enhanced trapping by “ NIAB Eco-Sticky Traps” for monitoring of flying insect pests especially whiteflies, aphids and psyllids

• Established rearing protocols for Black Soldier Fly (BSF) for its economic utilization as poultry feed and production of organic soil input

• Hundreds of germplasm of various crops screened under field and lab conditions for insect resistance/ tolerance that contributed in varietal development program of breeders

• Around 300 new chemistry pesticides have been evaluated for bio-efficacy through field trials as a Federal Trail Agency for registration with DPP Karachi

Future Directions

• Improvement and enhancement of developed bio products for self-sustainability and commercialization

• Development of new bio products from the rearing of Black Soldier Fly to strengthen the commercial activities

• Planning and execution of farmer outreach programs to facilitate trails and adoption of developed bio products 

Funded Projects

• PARB 23-592 Project titled “Conversion of biowaste to bio-products through a multi-industry insect, the Black Soldier Fly (BSF)” 2025-2028 (PKR 19.973 Million)

• PAEC Funded Project titled “Development of bio-products and sustainable management of insect pests and diseases”  2025-2028 (PKR 10 Million)

Collaborations

• Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)

• Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF)

• Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB)

• Sugarcane Research and development Board (SRDB)

• Agriculture Linkage Programme (ALP)

Click on following link for detailed Brochure;

NIAB Eco-Spray and NIAB Eco-Sticky Traps

Biological Control

Black Soldier Flies