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NEW
Edition : 1 | Volume : 1
Publishing Year : 2026
Langage : English
Publisher : South India Book Traders
Author/s :
Dr. M. Senthil Kumar , Dr. K.A. Shanmugasundaram
Availability :
Hard Bond
ISBN: 9789378460067
Publishing Year: 2026
Paper Back
ISBN: 9789378460173
Publishing Year: 2026
Lac culture represents one of the most distinctive examples of an insect-derived natural resource sustaining both traditional livelihoods and modern industry. As demand grows for bio-based, biodegradable and non-toxic materials, lac has re-emerged as a strategic commodity at the interface of agriculture, forestry, chemistry, materials science and rural development. This volume has been conceived to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date and scientifically rigorous treatment of lac culture, suitable for use as a reference work by researchers, teachers, students, practitioners and policy makers.
The book is organized to guide the reader from foundational concepts to advanced applications. Initial chapters introduce the history and origin of lac culture, its documentation in ancient literature and early trade, and the taxonomy, classification, biology and life cycle of lac insects. These chapters establish the biological and historical context required to understand lac as both a unique scale insect system and a long-standing forest-based enterprise.
Subsequent chapters address the practical and technical dimensions of lac production, including strains of lac insects, the range of host plants and their management, cultivation operations, brood lac management, integrated farming systems, pest and natural enemy management, harvesting, and post-harvest handling. Together, these chapters offer a consolidated synthesis of current best practices and research-based recommendations for sustainable and profitable lac cultivation.
Dr. M. Senthil Kumar
Dr.
M. Senthil Kumar, Associate Professor
(Agricultural Entomology) at the Horticultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University (TNAU), Yercaud, Salem District, Tamil Nadu, is a
distinguished agricultural entomologist with over 15 years of professional experience in teaching, research, and extension services. He completed his
B.Sc. (Agriculture) from TNAU, Coimbatore (1998), M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Entomology
from IARI, New Delhi (2000 and 2006), and qualified the ICAR-NET in 2001.
He has served across 6+
major institutional assignments, including Krishi Vigyan Kendras,
Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Forest College and Research Institute, and
HRS, Yercaud, contributing extensively to agricultural research and technology
dissemination in diverse agro-ecosystems .
His core expertise encompasses
Integrated Pest Management (IPM), insect ecology, pollinator biology (Apis
cerana indica and Apis mellifera), bio-control strategies, and
climate-based pest forecasting, along with emerging domains such as IoT-enabled
smart pest monitoring systems.
Dr. Senthil Kumar has an
outstanding academic record with 20+ books (ISBN), 30+ research papers
in NAAS-rated journals, and 40+ national and international conference
publications . His publications span key areas such as forest
entomology, honeybee rearing, horticultural pest management, and nematology,
reflecting strong interdisciplinary expertise.
Table of Contents..
1. History and Origin of Lac Culture
2. Taxonomy and Classification of Lac Insects
3. Biology and Life Cycle of Lac Insects
4. Strains of Lac Insects
5. Host Plants for Lac Cultivation
6. Lac Cultivation Operations
7. Brood Lac Management
8. Newer Host Plants and Cultivation Technologies
9. Lac Integrated Farming Systems
10. Pest and Natural Enemy Management
11. Harvesting and Post-Harvest Operations
12. Lac Processing Technology
13. Chemical Composition of Lac
14. Industrial Applications of Lac Products
15. Pharmaceutical and Food Applications
16. Quality Control and Grading Standards
17. Production Statistics and Global Trade
18. Economics, Marketing, and Tribal Livelihoods
19. Climate Change and Lac Culture
20. Recent Technologies and Future Perspectives
21. Reference
