PRODUCTION OF TRICHOGRAMMA CARDS

PRODUCTION OF TRICHOGRAMMA CARDS

S. NO.	DESCRIPTION
01	Inoculation
02	Moth and Egg collection
03	Sterilization
04	Tricho card preparation
05	Packing

INOCULATION

This method determines the detailed procedure for the inoculation of raw materials for the rearing of Corcyra moth.

PRINCIPLE  :

Rearing the host insect by providing appropriate food and hygienic condition and the moths thus reared are collected.

APPARATUS  :

Materials required: Culture of corcyra eggs, Maize grains, ground nut kernels, Yeast powder, wettable sulphur, Trays, mugs, and spoons

PROCEDURE:

1. Procure the raw materials like Maize grains, and groundnut kernels free of stored grain pests through visual check up and also by maintaining samples of infested and quality grains.
2. Crush the grains and groundnut kernels to 2-3 broken pieces.
3. Add approximately 2.5 Kgs of Maize grain, 100 grams of groundnut kernel, 5 gms of Yeast powder, 0.5 grams of wettable sulphur to each plastic tray and mix thoroughly.
4. To the mixture add 0.5 to 0.75 cc of fresh corcyra eggs and mix uniformly and gently.
5. The set up is kept undisturbed in thatched shed till the emergence of the moth.

PRECAUTIONS :

1. Check for the heat formation at the bottom of the tray for culture formation at 25 days after inoculation.
2. The inoculated material should be free of external pest and parasitoid.

Moth and egg collection 

PRINCIPLE  :
Rearing the host insect by providing appropriate food and hygienic condition and the moths thus produced are collected in test tubes and transferred to egg collection drums in such a way that the eggs are collected at the bottom of the egg chamber.

APPARATUS  :

Apparatus :Test tubes, Egg chamber, Table, Twine, Cotton, Sugar, Honey.

PROCEDURE:

1. Remove the gada cloth and insert the test tube inside the tray.
2. Collect the moth and transfer it to the egg chamber.

• Open the lid of egg chamber and gently transfer the collected moth into the chamber
• Transfer seven test tubes moth per egg chamber
•   Record the number of moth collected per day in the quality record . Close the lid of the egg chamber.

1. Place the egg chamber in a plastic tray.
2.  Keep the plastic tray along with the egg chamber on a table in the egg chamber room. 
3.  Add 25 gms of sugar/honey to water and mix thoroughly.
4.  Take 25 gms of cotton and dip it in the mixed sugar solution :  Squeeze the cotton in such a way that the water does not drip.
5. Take 30 cm of twine and tie the cotton to one end.
6. Tie the other end to the ventilation provided in the egg chamber in such a way it hangs inside the egg chamber.
7. After 24hrs collect the deposited eggs below the egg chamber, clean the collected eggs free of scales and dirt.
8. The cleaned eggs are then subjected to sterilization.

PRECAUTIONS :

1. The sugar/honey solution provided should not drop.

Sterilization

This method determines the detailed procedure for the sterilization of Corcyra egg.

PRINCIPLE  : Sterilization is an important aspect of Tricho production and this is done by exposing the collected eggs to U.V. rays for 45 minutes in an UV chamber. 

APPARATUS AND  REAGENTS :

Corcyra egg, U.V. chamber Plastic tray, Refrigerator, Petri plates 

PROCEDURE:

1. Take the fresh Corcyra egg and spread uniformly into a tray.
2. Place the tray inside the U.V. chamber.
3.  Switch on the U.V. chamber.
4. Treat the egg for about 45 minutes.
5. After 45 minutes switch off U.V. chamber and take out the tray.
6. Gently transfer the egg to petri plates and utilize for card preparation.

 PRECAUTIONS :

Eggs should not be treated for more than 60 minutes.

Tricho card preparation

This method determines the detailed procedure for Tricho card preparation.

PRINCIPLE  :

            Tricho card preparation is an important aspect of mass multiplication as the efficiency of the parasitoid is largely dependent upon the correct techniques of card preparation. This is done by pasting the sterilized eggs to the cards and exposing the cards to the already parasitized Egg cards( Nucleus cards) 

APPARATUS AND REAGENTS  :

               Apparatus :  Printed Tricho cards, Gum, Air cooler, Corcyra egg, Measuring cylinder, Polythene cover, Rubber band, Gem clips, Iron rack, Price sticker.

PROCEDURE:

1. Uniformly apply already prepared gum to the printed Tricho card.
2. Measure 1cc of sterilized Corcyra egg using the measuring cylinder.
3. Transfer the measured egg to a petri plate and spread uniformly on the pre-pasted card.
4. Place the card uniformly in rows.
5. Switch on the air cooler and allow the cards to dry for 2 hours.
6. After 2 hours take the dried card and fold it gently.
7. Secure the folded card with the rubber band.
8. Pack the cards inside a polythene cover.
9. Place already parasitized nucleus card upon the already packed cards : Place the nucleus card in the ratio of 1:5
10. Fold the mouth of the polythene cover.
11. Secure the polythene cover with gem clips.
12. Write the card preparation date in a price sticker and stick it on the polythene cover.
13. Keep the polythene cover in an iron rack in the dark room.
14. Record the number of cards prepared and nucleus card utilized in the quality record.

PRECAUTIONS :

The cards should be pasted using optimal amount of paste ( not excess)

Packing and quality control

This method determines the detailed procedure for Tricho card packing. 

PRINCIPLE  :

Packing the cards without eggs being destroyed in a polythene cover in such a manner that no damage occurs to the parasitized eggs during transit.

APPARATUS  AND  REAGENTS  :

Apparatus : Polythene covers, Stapler pin, Stapler, Shoe polish brush, Plastic tray, Refrigerator, Price sticker.

PROCEDURE:

1. After 3 days, take the polythene cover from the dark room.
2. Remove all the gem clips.
3. Take out the nucleus cards and discard them by burning.
4. Take out the parasitized cards and remove the rubber bands
5. Gently brush the card using shoe polish brush.
6. Check the card for uniform parasitization.

• For quality checking retain every 1 card for every batch of cards produced.
• Keep the test  card in a clean polythene cover after checking for number of eggs. This is done by making a square cm marking in the card with the help of a pencil in five places and counting the number of eggs .the number of eggs counted are then correlated with the total area of the cards and entered in the register. 

• After counting, the cards are left in the plastic cover safely secured for four to five days for the adult Trichogramma  to emerge. 

•  The merged cards are then observed for the hatched holes similarly for the eggs counting and the percent emergence is calculated.
• The number of eggs per card should be a minimum of 15000 with 80% parasitization.

1.  Retain a part of cards as nucleus card.
2. Keep the remaining cards in a plastic tray.
3. Pack the retained nucleus cards in 50’s in polythene cover.
4. Pack the remaining cards in 100’s in a polythene cover and keep them in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. Supply the cards to extension officers.

PRECAUTIONS :

The cards should not be stored in deep freezer.