INSTITUTE, PUSA, FOR 1919-20 5 



The Mycological Section was short-handed during the 

 greater part of the year owing to the absence of two of the 

 superior staff. The work on the black band disease of jute, 

 rot in potatoes during storage, and on the diseases of fruit 

 in Kumaon have, however, yielded important results. 

 Diseases of cereals have been under investigation and con- 

 siderable progress has been made in the enquiry which is 

 likely to extend over several years. Observations at Lyall- 

 pur of the root-rot of cotton have led to the conclusion that 

 this disease which occurs sporadically in Northern and 

 Western India is a non-parasitic one and is associated 

 with some unknown soil condition which will require 

 special study. 



Entomological Section. In additi n to systematic work 

 on insects, the Entomological Section continued the 

 investigation of the relative immunity of varieties of 

 cotton from bollworm attack, of borer pests of sugarcane, 

 rice and other cereals, and of other agents of damage to 

 these crops which produce effects similar to those caused 

 by borers. The Imperial Entomologist, in emphasizing the 

 importance of the study of the stem borers, estimates that 

 the average loss of sugarcane in India through the action 

 of borers amounts to 10 per cent, of the total crop. Con- 

 siderable material has been accumulated regarding insect 

 pests of fruit trees. The results of the prolonged experi- 

 ments and the details of the successful methods on the 

 storage of grain against insect attack have been fully 

 described in a paper by Mr. Fletcher and Mr. C. C. 

 Ghosh. Further work on pests of stored grain was 

 mainly directed to finding whether there is any infesta- 

 tion in the field and, if so, to what extent. Lac and seri- 

 culture also continued to engage the attention of this 

 Section. 



Pathological Entomological Section. On the conclusion 

 of his deputation to investigate the mosquito repellents, 

 the late Mr. Howlett worked on the effects of alkaloidal 

 poisons on rats and of X-rays on mosquito larvae in colla- 

 boration with Captain Barnard of the Colaba Hospital. 



