Executive Summary : | Tickborne diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in ruminants and economic losses to the farmers. Chemical acaricides, which had been the mainstay in tick control for years, is no longer considered to be sustainable due the emergence of acaricidal resistance and the concerns regarding the environmental toxicity and persistence in food chains. Semiochemicals offer to be a suitable alternative as it reduces the sole dependence on chemical insecticides. These are chemicals/ pheromones secreted by ticks for conspecific or interspecific communication and can be exploited for attracting ticks to the baits. Its use, though popular in agricultural field, has been largely under exploited for the control of pests of veterinary importance. Implementation of successful tick control strategies warrants a thorough understanding of the epidemiological factors determining the prevalence of ticks. Macro and micro climatic factors determine the prevalence of ticks in an area and therefore the epidemiological patterns will vary in different agroclimatic zones. Hence this study envisages to undertake a comprehensive epidemiological study on the tick vectors in ruminants, their vector potentiality and status of acaricidal resistance in the major agroecological zones of Kerala and to formulate semiochemical assisted tick control strategies suitable for the prevalent agroclimatic conditions. In the first phase, epidemiological studies on the tick vectors will be undertaken in five major agroecological zones of Kerala, viz. coastal region, mid lands, foothills, high ranges and Palakkad plains during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The prevalence of tick species in the different zones will be recorded, molecular detection of Babesia spp., Theileria spp., Anaplasma spp. will be done to assess the vector status and extent of acaricidal resistance in the tick fauna will be assessed by in vitro assays. The data on prevalence, vector status and acaricidal resistance will be correlated with the management factors and agroclimatic conditions in different zones. In the second phase, in vitro studies will be undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of semiochemicals viz. assembly pheromone (AP), sex pheromone (2,6-DCP) and attraction–aggregation–attachment pheromone (AAAP) on the prevalent tick species. The semiochemical and polymer vehicles will be selected on the basis of in vitro studies and traps or devices to suit large animal houses will be designed incorporating minimum amount of acaricides required. The designed semiochemical based tick control devices will be evaluated by field trials in different agroecological zones and the reduction in tick infestation following implementation of the strategy will be recorded during a period of six months. The developed technology will be transferred to the stakeholders and the evolved strategy will be popularised through awareness classes, trainings, workshops, seminars, brochures etc. |
Co-PI: | Dr. Sujith S, College Of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Kerala-680651, Dr. Bindu Lakshmanan, College Of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Kerala-680651 |