August 2026 | Muzaffarpur, Bihar

The ICAR–National Research Centre on Litchi (ICAR-NRCL), Muzaffarpur, has intensified capacity-building and field-awareness activities to tackle litchi stink bug, a major insect pest that has emerged as a serious threat to litchi production in several growing clusters, particularly in Bihar and Jharkhand.

The initiative follows recommendations of the Litchi Stink Bug Task Force, constituted under the directions of the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. ICAR-NRCL is implementing the programme in collaboration with the Department of Horticulture, Government of Bihar, and ICAR–Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Patna, with the objective of strengthening coordinated pest-management efforts involving researchers, extension agencies and farming communities.

Extension Personnel Trained Across Major Litchi Districts

The capacity-building programmes brought together Subject Matter Specialists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), District Horticulture Officers, Block Horticulture Officers, Assistant Directors of Plant Protection, Agriculture Coordinators, Assistant Technology Managers (ATMs) and Block Technology Managers (BTMs).

Participants were drawn particularly from major litchi-growing districts including Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Vaishali, East Champaran and West Champaran.

The training covered the identification and biology of litchi stink bug, seasonal population dynamics, non-litchi host plants, pest aggregation sites and off-season surveillance. Participants were also trained in timely adoption of integrated pest-management measures.

A key focus was the need to begin pest-management activities well before flowering and fruiting, allowing pest populations to be suppressed before reaching economically damaging levels.

Field Days Bring Pest Management to Farmers

To translate technical knowledge into field-level action, ICAR-NRCL has initiated a series of field days and awareness programmes in severely affected litchi-growing clusters.

The first field day was conducted at Bochaha Block in Muzaffarpur district in collaboration with the concerned KVK and the Department of Horticulture, Government of Bihar.

During the programme, farmers and field-level extension personnel were sensitized to identifying potential pest aggregation sites and adopting measures to reduce the carry-over population of litchi stink bug before the upcoming litchi season.

Similar field programmes are planned in other affected litchi-growing areas of Bihar. These programmes will be conducted directly at farmers’ fields to strengthen farmer–extension–research linkages and promote timely adoption of recommended pest-management practices.

68 Extension Personnel Receive Training

As part of the initiative, ICAR-NRCL organized two two-day capacity-building programmes for extension personnel from major litchi-growing districts of Bihar.

A total of 68 participants were trained:

  • 30 participants during the first programme held on 10–11 August 2026

  • 38 participants during the second programme held on 17–18 August 2026

The trained personnel are expected to play an important role in taking scientific pest-management recommendations to litchi-growing communities.

Towards Area-Wide Management of Litchi Stink Bug

Through the coordinated initiative, ICAR-NRCL aims to establish a strong network of trained extension personnel and strengthen awareness among litchi growers. The approach emphasizes community-level and area-wide management of litchi stink bug rather than isolated interventions at individual farms.

The initiative is expected to help reduce pest-related crop losses and support more sustainable litchi production across major growing regions of the country, particularly in affected areas of Bihar and Jharkhand.

Source: ICAR–National Research Centre on Litchi (ICAR-NRCL), Muzaffarpur