ABSTRACT
Whether the food grains are stored in farm, home or warehouse, insects continue to create problems by causing qualitative and quantitative damage in storage. These warrants immediate action in evolving useful, adoptable and eco-friendly technologies to manage these insects at all levels (farm, home and warehouse). Hence the author has developed useful tools (also known as gadgets) such as Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) probe trap, TNAU pitfall trap, two-in-one model trap for monitoring and early detection of insects in stored food grains; indicator device and stack probe trap (Indian patent no. 284727) for population level estimation; insect removal bin for farmers for early and sustainable removal of field carried over adults and to prevent further build up in storage and TNAU UV light trap technology for insect control by trapping insects in warehouses; Insect egg removal device (Indian patent no. 198434) is also being utilized for farm level/community level/traders level storage. These tools have become essential in the current scenario of food security. Having found these tools to be effective (as established through his lifetime research work evidenced in his publications), attempts were made by the author to transfer these tools/gadgets to end users in a systematic and scientific way following all basic principles of agricultural extension. The author has used significant methods in the Transfer of Technology (TOT) effort namely, developing entrepreneurs for producing an uninterrupted supply of gadgets to farmers/end users, conducting feedback studies, reaching out to the students both at school and college level by developing an educational kit and incorporating the techniques in the curriculum, publication in journals and popular media. This has resulted in the significant spread of the storage loss reduction technologies to households, farmers, government and private warehouses in India. In addition, the agricultural colleges, farmers training centres across the country and school students in Tamil Nadu province of India are using the TNAU education kit for teaching and training. In order to speed up the process of technology transfer to all users across the India and also other developing countries, the process of attracting more entrepreneurs to produce and market the products is still in progress as a future strategy for postharvest grain protection.
