Ministry of agriculture, plant protection, private and other types of farms.

The project is aimed at implementation of a method of biological control of weeds, using highly dedicated gall midges-phytophagous (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) - the natural enemies of weeds in the vegetable and melon plantations of the Ararat valley. It is intended to use existing and search for new potential herbiphagous of different weed crops, improvement of existing ones and development of new methods of weed biological control, development of recommendations for the implementation of these methods in agronomic practice. The introduction of such phytophagous in new for them agrocenosis leads to the gradual (over several vegetative seasons) suppression of weeds’ harmfulness.

The work can be implemented at least within 3 years, yearly USD 33.300 (thirty-three thousand and three hundred) will be required. The amount will be spent on organizing of expeditions, purchase of necessary equipment, laboratory equipment, salaries for 4 employees and for other purposes. Project costs will be presented after the final calculations.

To familiarize themselves with data on biological control of weeds already obtained by researchers from the Laboratory of entomology and soil zoology of the Center to find out reality of economy effects from investments and the investment risk

Boris Gabrielyan, Director of the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology of NAS RA 
E-mail: gabrielb {[ at ]} sci.am 
Tel.: (+374 10) 285961, (+374 91) 205118 

Lyudmila Mirumyan, Senior Researcher of the Laboratory of Entomology and Soil Zoology of the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology of NAS RA 
E-mail: lmirumyan {[ at ]} mail.ru 
Tel.: (+374 91) 666679