Innovation Proposals
Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology
Division of Natural Sciences

Development of methods and implementation of biological control of agricultural crops’ weeds

N Investment project title Development of methods and implementation of biological control of agricultural crops’ weeds
1. Sector

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

2. Project description

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.

3. Project implementation period 2017-2019, yearly monitoring on crops’ weeds infectiousness: the development of technologies for the collection, maintenance, introduction of gall-midges-herbiphagous in new for them agrocenosises, development of introduced populations of gallmidges and weeds’ dynamics in plantations
4. Project location Scientific Centre of Zoology and Hydroecology of NAS RA
5. Project overall cost (USD) 90.000
6. Required investments (USD) 75.000
7. Own funds (USD) 15.000 - formed from various sources
8. Creation of jobs At the beginning of the project At the end of the project
4 4
9. Payback period In 2 years after introduction of gall-midges into new agrocenosises
10. Annual profitability index According to data of Ministry of agriculture of the Republic the crop weeds cause serious economic damage to agriculture. For weed control there are expended enormous financial and technical means and human resources. Our methods are completely harmless to the environment and not time-consuming. They do not lead to impoverishment of flora’s agrobiocenoses, as it does not aim at the complete extermination of weeds, but only a decrease in their density to a sustainable level. Their application eliminates the use of toxic chemicals and can be efficiently combined with agro-technical arrangements.
11. Detailed costs

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.

12. Offer to investor

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

13. Contact details

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