Introduction to Lac and Lac Culture - Birsa Agricultural University

Introduction to 

Tech. Bull. FBTI : 01/2011 

Lac and Lac Culture 

1

IntroductIon 

to 

LAc And LAc cuLturE 

dr. SAILESh chAttopAdhyAy 

Department of forest Biology & tree improvement 

faculty of forestry 

Birsa Agricultural university, Kanke, 

ranchi-834 006 (Jharkhand) 

MAy, 2011

Forward 

T 

he compilation “Introduction to Lac and Lac Cultivation” is 

praiseworthy & will serve as a reference for undergraduate 

students of Agriculture and Forestry Faculty. 

Lac is a unique commodity as it is probably the only known resin of 

animal origin. Lac insects settle closely on the twigs of Palas, Ber or 

Kusum, suck the plant sap and grow to form encrustations. Lac insects 

yield resin, lac dye and lac wax. Improvement in health and nutrition 

of host plants and scientific methods of rearing the insects is essential 

for sustained returns from lac cultivation. With increasing demand of 

Aleuritic acid (a constituent of acid of shellac) in the world market as 

an ingredient of perfumes and pharmaceuticals, further studies on lac 

culture has become essential. 

I congratulate the author for his sincere efforts. 

Place : BAU, Ranchi 

Date : 01-05-2011 

A.K. Sarkar 

Dean (Agriculture)

Dr.A. Bhattacharya 

Principal, Scientist & Head 

Hkkjrh; izkÑfrd jky ,oa xksan laLFkku 

ukedqe] jk¡ph & 834010 ¼>kj[k.M½ 

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND GUMS 

(FORMERLy INDIAN LAc RESEARch INSTITUTE) 

NAMkUM, RANchI 

Message 

I 

have gone through the book entitled ‘introduction to Lac and Lac Culture’ Writen by 

Dr. Sailesh Chattopadyay, Faculty of Forestry, Birsa Agriculture University, Ranchi. The 

book deals with basics of Lac Culture in simple language. 

I confirm that it would be a valuable and useful book for the students and scientists 

associated with Lac Culture. 

Phone: (91) 0651 - 2260117, 2261156 Fax :0651 - 2260202 

Email : lac@ilri.ernet.in 

Website: http://ilri.ernet.in www.icar.org.in/ilri/default.htm 

(A. Bhattacharya)

FAcULTy OF FORESTRy 

BIRSA AGRIcULTURAL UNIVERSITy 

Dr. S. Chattopadhyay 

Associate Professor 

Department of Forest Biology & Tree Improvement 

Acknowledgement 

Lac has been one of the important non-wood forest produce being utilized by the human society 

since time immemorial and lac farming provides subsidiary income to mainly poor subsistence 

level tribal farmers in the forest tracts of the country. The practices of lac culture are getting expanded 

in different regions of newly created Jharkhand state and necessity of a comprehensive account of 

Lac culture was strongly felt by all concerned. The present manual will be very useful for students, 

teachers and research workers concerned with lac culture. 

I express my appreciation to Dr. Bangali Baboo, ex-Director, Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums 

(ICAR) and present National Director (NAIP) at ICAR, New Delhi for his support, advice and helpful 

suggestions in writing the manual. 

I convey my regards to Dr. N. N. Singh, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Birsa Agricultural University for rendering 

his clarity of thought in the fruitful execution of the work. 

I wish to express my indebtness to Dr. A. K. Sarkar, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. S. K. Singh, Dean, 

Faculty of Forestry, Dr. B.N.Singh, Director Research, Dr. Balraj Singh, Dean P.G.s. -cum-D.R.I., and 

Dr. S.M. S. Quli, Head Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement for their support and 

encouragement in various ways for bringing out this publication. 

Sincere thanks are also due to Sri Amit and Sri Imtiaj for taking painful job of typing the manuscript. 

This publication has been made out of ICAR Development grant with whole hearted technical as well 

as moral support of Dr. A.K. Sarkar, Dean (Agriculture). 

(Sailesh Chattopadhyay) 

P.O. : Kanke, Ranchi - 834006, Jharkhand • Tele/Fax : 0651-2450835 

Email : saileshranchi@gmail.com 

Date : 01-05-2011

C O N T E N T S 

Page No. 

INTRODUCTION 01 

Why Lac Cultivation 

History of lac and its organization 

WHAT IS LAC? 05 

Ari and Phunki Lac 

Lac and its forms 

Composition of Lac 

Properties of Lac 

Uses of Lac 

LAC HOSTS 08 

Area wise utilization of lac hosts 

Essential characteristics of lac hosts 

LAC PRODUCTION IN INDIA 10 

STRAINS OF LAC AND LAC CROPS 10 

LIFE HISTORY OF LAC INSECT 12 

LOCAL CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF LAC 14 

SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF LAC CULTIVATION 15 

Selection of suitable host plant 

Selection of suitable site for lac cultivation 

Coupe system 

Preparation of feeding ground for lac insect 

Pruning operation 

Objectives of pruning 

Types of pruning 

Pruning time 

Pruning instruments 

Collection of brood lac 

Selection of brood lac 

Inoculation of brood lac 

Punki removal 

Harvesting 

ENEMIES OF LAC INSECTS 21 

Vertebrate enemies 

Insect enemies 

Microbial flora 

LAC CULTIVATION VIS A VIS ENVIRONMENTAL 

ECONOMY CONSERVATION AND RURAL 26



Lac is a natural resinous substance of profound economic importance in India. It is the only resin 

from animal origin lending itself to diverse applications e.g. as a protective and decorative 

coating in the form of thin films, adhesives and plastics. It makes a small but significant contribution 

to the foreign exchange earning of the country, but the most important role that the lac plays in 

the economy of the country is that roughly 3-4 million tribal people, who constitute the socioeconomically 

weakest link of Indian population earn a subsidiary income from its cultivation. India 

is the major producer of lac, accounting for more than 50% of the total world production. It virtually 

held a monopoly in the lac trade during the period of the world war-I, producing nearly 90% of the 

world’s total output. Today an average of about 20 -22 thousand tons of stick lac (raw lac) is produced 

in the country per year. Most of the lac produced in India is from homestead land and wasteland. 

Usually host trees standing on rayyati lands are used for lac cultivation and in some areas trees on 

Government land are taken on lease or rental basis. 

Why Lac Cultivation ? 

A good source of livelihood resource for poor farmers. 

Assured source of income during drought years. 

Require meager inputs (like water, pesticides etc.) 

Most suitably grown on marginal and degraded land. 

No competition with other horticultural, agricultural crops for land and farm operation. 

Do not harm host tree health neither other flora and fauna. 

Avoids migration of rural population to urban areas. 

Increases opportunities for women for better occupation and returns. 

HISTORY OF LAC AND ITS ORGANIZATION : 

Lac has been known in India from time immemorial. The term “Lac” seems to have been derived from 

the Sanskrit word “Laksha” meaning a hundred thousand and is suggestive of the large number of 

insects involved in its production. The description of the insect and its host plant (Food plant) – Palas 

(Lakshataru) is recorded in the Atharva Veda. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata that Kauravas built 

the highly inflammable lakhagriha or Jadugriha (Lac house) with a motive of physically eliminating 

Pandavas by setting the lac palace on fire. The Ain-i-Akbari of 16th Century records the use of pigmented 

lac varnishes for painting screens. The use of lac was known to ancient Greek and Romans also. 

Increasing demand of lac products after World War-II has received attention in the present century. 

In order to increase the production of lac by scientific methods, an association named Indian Lac 

Association (I.L.A) was formed in 1921, Lac Research Institute (L.R.I) was established at Namkum, 

Ranchi in 1924, with a view to have greater participation of the Government. In 1930, the Indian Lac 

Cess Committee (I.L.C.C.) was formed and the committee took over the Indian Lac Research Institute 

(ILRI) in 1957. Then the need for a Lac Extension wing was felt and thereafter a Lac Extension Wing 

(L.E.W.) under the Indian Lac Cess Committee (I..L.C.C.) was created. 

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The Indian Lac Research Institute (I.L.R.I.) was taken over by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research 

(I.C.A.R.) in 1966. 

Responding to the opening up of economic policies, globalization of industries and agricultural 

enterprises, the Indian Lac Research Institute ( I.L.R.I. ) has undergone a structural change and its 

priorities have been redefined, widening the scope and mandate of the institute. Besides research 

and development on all aspects of lac; processing and product development of other natural resins 

and gums have been brought under the ambit of research. Therefore, ILRI has been upgraded as 

Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums ( I.I.N.R.G. ) w.e.f. September 20, 2007. 

An Advisory body viz. the Indian Lac Development Council (I.L.D.C.) was also constituted by Govt. of 

India to give the due representation to the lac growing states and other interested in lac cultivation 

and its trade. 

The Directorate of Lac Development was transferred to the Ministry of Environment & Forests, in 

January, 1985. Later the Directorate of Lac Development was merged with Forest Research Institute 

(F.R.I.), Dehradun with effect from July, 1987 under the same ministry due to re-organization of 

subordinate and field officers of Ministry. Presently the Institute of Forest Productivity (Ex-Directorate 

of Lac Development), Ranchi is directly functioning under Indian Council of Forestry Research & 

Education (I.C.F.R.E.), Dehradun. 

The main functions of the Institute of Forest Productivity for Lac development are as follows :- 

1. To collect and compile various statistical data on lac concerning production, prices, internal 

consumption, export, dispatches etc. for use of government departments. 

2. To forecast and assess lac production in the country. 

3. To maintain regionally located Nucleus Brood Lac Farms for demonstration of improved 

methods of lac cultivation and supply of quality brood-lac to the villagers and user agencies. 

4. To maintain liaison between Central and State government, concerning lac development 

work. 

5. To render technical advice to the State government & other organizations on planning of lac 

cultivation, marketing, exports etc. 

6. To maintain an air-condition godown meant for storing shellac, seed lac etc. at Kolkata (West 

Bengal) which has been leased out to Central Warehousing Corporation 

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL RESINS AND GUMS ( I.I.N.R.G. ): 

Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (I.I.N.R.G.), formerly Indian Lac Research Institute (I. L. R. 

I.) located at Ranchi, Jharkhand, is a nodal Institute at national level for research and development 

on all aspects of natural resins, gums and gum-resins including LAC, such as production, processing, 

product development, training, information repository, technology dissemination and national / 

international cooperation.



Indian Lac Research Institute (I.L.R.I.) came into existence as a result of the recommendation 

of a two member committee comprising of Mr. H.A.F. Lindsay and Mr C.M.Harlow appointed early in 

1920 by the then Govt of India to enquire into the conditions of the Indian Lac trade and suggest 

measures for its all-round improvement. The report of the committee was published in 1921. They 

had recommended, besides other aspects, for intensive cultivation by significantly tested methods 

for sustained lac production. In view of this suggestion, the then lac merchants organized themselves 

into a private registered body ,the Indian Lac Association for Research. The Association acquired land 

from the provincial government and the foundation of the Indian Lac Research Institute (I.L.R.I.) 

was laid on Sep.20, 1924. It started functioning under the Founder Director, Mrs. Dorothy Norris. 

In 1930, on the recommendation of the Royal Commission for Agriculture, the Indian Lac Cess Act 

was passed by the Central Legislature. Under this Act, the Govt of India constituted the Indian Lac 

Cess Committee which took over the Institute from Lac Association in 1931. 

After the Second World War, the First & Second Review Committees set up in 1951 and 1956, formed 

broad research programmes with equal emphasis on fundamental and applied research. During 

the period, four Regional Field Research Stations (R.F.R.S.) were set up at Jhalda (West Bengal), 

Damoh, Umaria (Madhya Pradesh) and Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) to take up regional problems. Later, 

Regional Testing Laboratories were also established to support lac manufacturers for quality control 

of different types of lac manufactured by them. These were set up at Gondia (Maharashtra), Jhalda 

(West Bengal) in 1959, at Balrampur (West Bengal) and Daltonganj (erstwhile Bihar) in 1961 and at 

Namkum, Ranchi (erstwhile Bihar) in 1962. 

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (I.C.A.R.) took over the administrative control of the Institute 

on 1st April,1966, with the abolition of the Lac Cess Committee on this day. The Institute was 

strengthened and reconstituted in December 1971, based on the recommendation of Sheshadri 

Committee, into five devisions, viz. Entomology, Chemistry, Agronomy & Plant Genetics, Technology 

and Extension. 

Present status of IINRG for Lac development 

The IINRG has responded to the globalization of lac and lac-based industries and agricultural 

enterprises of the country as well as structural and functional reorganization of ICAR. The Institute 

also has undergone structural changes and the priorities have been redefined. The erstwhile divisions 

and sections have been abolished and the scientific manpower has now been divided into three 

divisions. Viz. Lac Production, Processing and Product Development and Transfer of Technology. 

Since its inception, the Institute has played a significant role in creating awareness among the tribals 

about the benefit of scientific methods of lac cultivation. It has persistently endeavored to boost, 

optimize and disseminate appropriate technologies for Scientific methods of lac cultivation and 

offers packages and practices for all major lac hosts. The Institute has been disseminating these 

technologies to the growers belonging to weaker sections, who cultivate lac in an area encompassing 

about 80,000 sq. km. covering the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, U.P., M.P., Chhattisgarh, A.P., 

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Maharashtra and Orissa. Presently the Institute has attained international recognition for its 

contribution in cultivation and utilization aspects of lac. 

MANDATE 

The mandate of the Institute for Lac Development is : 

(i) To develop lac culture technologies, adopting existing or genetically improved lac insects and 

lac hosts. 

(ii) To develop lac processing techniques for the industry. 

(iii) To conduct researches for diversification of lac utilization leading to pilot plant demonstration. 

(iv) To transfer the technologies to farmers and entrepreneurs. 

(v) To act as a repository of information on lac production, processing and utilization.

WHAT IS LAC? 



Lac is a natural, biodegradable, non-toxic, odourless, tasteless, hard resin and non-injurious to health. 

Lac is, in fact, a resinous protective secretion of tiny lac insect, Kerria lacca (Kerr.) which belongs 

to the family Tachardidae in the super family Coccoidea of the order Hemiptera. The lac insect is 

a pest on a number of plants both wild as well as cultivated. The tiny red–coloured larvae of lac 

insect settle on the young succulent shoots of the host plants in myriads and secrete a thick resinous 

fluid which covers their bodies. The secretion from the insects form a hard continuous encrustation 

over the twigs. The encrusted twigs are harvested and the encrusted twigs scraped off, dried and 

processed to yield the lac of commerce which is regarded as Non Wood Forest Product (NWFP) of 

great economic importance to India. 

ARI LAC AND PHUNKI LAC: 

If lac crops are harvested by cutting down the lac bearing twigs a little before the larval emergence, 

that lac is known as ARI LAC ( immature lac ) or after the emergence is over, that is called PHUNKI LAC 

( empty lac ). 

LAC AND ITS FORMS 

Stick lac : The lac encrustations is separated by knife or broken off with finger from the 

twig of host plants and is known is STICK LAC or CRUDE LAC or RAW LAC. 

Seed lac : The stick lac, after grinding and washing, is called SEED LAC or CHOWRI. 

Shellac : The manufactured product prepared from stick lac after washing and melting, 

which takes the form of yellow coloured flakes, is called SHELLAC. 

Button lac : After melting process, lac is dropped on a zinc sheet and allowed to spread 

out into round discs of about 3” diameter and 1/4” thickness is called BUTTON 

LAC 

Garnet lac : It is prepared form inferior seed lac or kiri by the solvent extraction process. It is 

dark in colour and comparatively free from wax. 

Bleached 

lac 

: It is a refined product obtained by chemical treatment. It is prepared by 

dissolving shellac or seed lac in Sodium carbonate solution, bleaching the 

solution with Sodium hypochlorite and precipitating the resin with sulphuric 

acid. Bleached lac deteriorates quickly and should be used within 2-3 months 

of manufacture. 

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Seed lac 

Button lac 

Shellac 

Garnet lac 

COMPOSITION OF LAC 

The major constituents of stick lac or crude lac are resin, sugar, protein, soluble salt, coloring matter, 

wax, volatile oils, sand, woody matters and insect bodies. The resin is always associated with an 

odoriferous principle, a wax and a mixture of three dyes. Removal of both wax and dye results in a 

marvelous colourless and transparent resin having all the characteristic properties of the resin. 

Chemical analysis has revealed that the resin is made of at least six major chemical components of 

different molecular complexities. 

The building blocks of lac are mainly hydroxyaliphatic and sequiterpenic acids which are present in 

the proportion of 50:50. The basic blocks are however aleuritic and jalaric acids. The former is 9, 10, 

16 – trihydroxy palmitic acid and the later adihydroxymonocarboxylic sesquiterpenic acid having an 

aldehyde function. 

Composition of stick lac 

Lac resin - 68% 

Lac wax - 6% 

Lac dye - 1% 

Others - 25%



Lac resin : It is an ester complex of long chain hydroxy fatty acids and 

sesquiterpenic acid. 

Lac dye : It is an anthraquinone derivative. 

Lac wax : It is the mixture of higher alcohol, esters, acids and hydrocarbons. 

Properties of lac 

The important properties of lac are as follows : 

(i) Soluble in alcohol and weak alkalis 

(ii) Capacity of forming uniform durable film. 

(iii) Possess high scratch hardness 

(iv) Resistance to water 

(v) Good adhesive nature 

(vi) Ability to form good sealers, undercoat primers. 

(vii) Capacity to allow quick rubbing with sandpaper without slicking or gumming. 

No other single resin, both natural or synthetic, possess so many desirable properties and so lac is 

also termed as mULTIPURPOSE RESIN. 

Uses of lac: 

Because of its unique combination of properties, lac finds a wide variety of application in paint, 

electrical, automobile, cosmetic, adhesive, leather, wood finishing and other industries. 

Earlier about half of the total output was consumed in gramophone industry. Lac has long been in 

use both for decorative and lacquers of various kinds and insulating varnishes. It is usually used as a 

first coating on wood to fill the pores and also applied to seal knots likely to exude resin and disfigure 

or spoil finished paint work. 

Lac is used in manufacture of glazed paper, printing and water proofing inks, lac bangles, dry 

mounting tissue paper, dental plates and optical frames. It is also used as a coat for metal ware to 

prevent tarnishing and for finishing various products such as playing cards, oil cloth and linoleum 

and for preserving archeological and zoological specimen. 

In electrical industry, lac is used as coating of insulator, coating of spark plugs, cement of sockets of 

electrical lamp, antitracking insulating etc. 

In Pharmaceutical industry, lac is used in coating of tablets, micro-encapsulation of vitamins and 

coating of medicines. 

Lac dye is used in dying of wool and silk, soft drink formulation, pill coating, confectionary and 

chocolate coating. 

Lac wax has wide variety of uses in manufacturing shoe polishes, tailor’s chalk, lipstick, crayons (for 

writing in glass). Now a days it is also used in fruit coating. 

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LAC HOSTS 

The lac insects thrive on the sap of certain plants called lac hosts. So far, over four hundred species 

of plants have been recorded as hosts of which those are of importance from the commercial 

stand point are- Palas (Butea monosperma), Kusum (Schleichera oleosa), Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana). 

Other important lac host plants are Khair (Acacia catechu), Ghont (Zizyphus zylopyra), Barh (Ficus 

bengalensis), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Arhar (Cajanus cajan), Galwang (Albizia lucida) etc. 

Palas Kusum Ber 

IMPORTANT LAC HOST PLANTS 

A bushy host plant species, Flemingia semialata Roxb. (Leguminaceae : Papilionacae), has been 

identified and field tested as a potential fast growing host for 

intensive lac cultivation during winter season lac crop of KUSmI STRAIN ( AGHANI) for increasing lac 

production to match with the growing global demand of lac. 

Flemingia semialata (Lac host plant)

Area wise utilization of lac hosts are given below :- 

1. Palas 

(Butea monosperma) 

2. Kusum 

(Schleichera oleosa) 

3. Ber 

(Zizyphus mauritiana) 



It is commonest lac host through out the greater part of 

India, extending from North West Himalaya up to 900 m; 

in hills of South India upto 1200 m. 

Through out Central and South India, Jharkhand, Madhya 

Pradesh, Orissa and parts of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. 

Important lac host in Murshidabad and Malda districts 

of West Bengal and Hoshiarpur district of Punjab State, 

Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh 

4. Khair (Acacia catechu) Only Jharkhand State (Chotanagpur area) 

5. Ghont (Zizyphus zylopyra) Mainly cultivated in some parts of Northern Madhya 

Pradesh and Southern Uttar Pradesh 

6. Jallari (Shorea talura) It is the host plant in parts of Mysore & Chennai 

7. Galwang (Albizia lucida) It is an important lac host in Assam and has also given 

good results in Chotanagpur area in Jharkhand. 

8. Ficus spp. (F. religiosa, 

F. bengalensis, F. infectoria) 

9. Arhar (Cajanus cajan) 

Grewia spp. (G. glabra & G. 

serruleta) Leea spp. (L. aspera, L. 

crispa & L. robusta), Ficus cunia 

10. moghania macrophylla 

Albizzia lucida 

Kydia calycina 

Ficus rumphii 

These are universal in occurrence and from which 

occasionally lac is collected here and there throughout 

India. 

Favoured host plants in Assam 

Common minor lac host plants of regional importance 

in Assam. 

Essential Characteristics of a lac host : 

The factor that determines whether the lac insect will flourish on a particular host species or not is 

the character of the sap of host plant. It is believed that the sap reactions of a good lac host should 

be near about neutral or slightly acidic (e.g. pH values between 5.8 and 6.0) and that the sap density 

of good lac host plants in lower than that on non-lac hosts. The sap reactions of non-lac hosts shows 

distinct acidity or alkalinity. 

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LAC PRODUCTION IN INDIA 

India and Thailand are the two major producers of lac. The main lac producing states in India are 

Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand , Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa , Maharashtra and 

Gujarat. The cultivation of lac is at present mainly confined to the conventional lac hosts trees of Palas 

, Ber and Kusum. At present total annual average production of stick lac in India is approximately 

20-22 thousand tons which forms the raw material for lac industries. Chhattisgarh ranks 1st among 

the states followed by Jharkhand , Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra and West Bengal. These five states 

contribute around 95 % of the national lac production. .Nearly 75-80% of the finished product is 

exported and only a small portion nearly 20 to 25 % is consumed within the country. 

State wise list of the lac producing districts is given below :- 

Sl. No. State Districts 

1 Jharkhand : Palamau, Latehar, Garhwa, Ranchi, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega, 

Saraikela, Hazaribagh, Chatra, East Singhbhum & West Singhbhum 

2 West Bengal : Purulia, Bankura, Midnapur, Murshidabad & Malda 

3 Madhya Pradesh Balaghat, Mandla, Hoshangabad, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Indore, 

Chhindwara, Rewa & Seoni. 

4 Chhattishgarh : Bilaspur, Raipur, Sarguja, Bastar, Rajnandgaon, Durg,,Kanker, 

Dhamtari, Korba & Raigarh. 

5 Maharashtra : Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gharchiroli, Gondia 

6 Orissa Mayurbhanj, Kendujargarh, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Bolangir, 

Koraput, Sambalpur, Nabrangpur, Keonjhar, Balasore 

7 Gujarat : Vadodara, Panchmahal, Sabarkantha 

8 Uttar Pradesh : Mirzapur, Sonebhadra 

9 Bihar : Gaya 

10 Assam : Karbi Anglong, North Silchar Hill, Nagaon. 

11 Andhra Pradesh : Adilabad, Nizamabad 

12 Meghalaya : Khasi hills, Garo hills 

STRAINS OF LAC AND LAC CROPS 

Two strains of the lac insects are recognized in India, the RANGEENI AND KUSUMI. Each strain 

completes its life cycle twice a year but the seasons of maturity differ considerably. In Mysore, the 

RANGEENI strain completes their life cycle in 13 months on Jallari (Shorea talura). 

There are four lac crops in a year that are named after the Hindi months. The following table summaries 

the information about four lac crops.

Sl. 

No. 

Inoculation with 

Lac Swarming 

larva . 

Emergence 

of male 

insects 



Crop harvested Female insects 

mature and give rise 

to swarming larvae. 

1 2 3 4 5 

A. RANGEENI CROPS 

I Katki crop 

(June –July) 

II Baisakhi crop 

(Oct – Nov.) 

B. KUSUMI CROPS 

I. Aghani crop 

(June-July) 

II. Jethwi crop 

(Jan.-Feb.) 

Aug-Sept Oct-Nov Oct-Nov 

Feb-March April-May 

Leaving a certain amount 

of lac on trees to mature 

and act as brood in July 

June –July 

Sept. Dec.-Jan Jan.-Feb. 

March - April June –July June –July 

Lac is not always left on the trees until it matures fully, particularly in case of Baisakhi 

crop. When it is not mature, it (Baisakhi – ari) is cut, leaving a certain amount on the 

tree to act as brood for the next crop. In Rangeeni, three crops can be obtained from 

the host tree such as Jalari (Shorea talura) mostly found in Karnataka (Mysore region) 

and Rain tree (Samanea saman), mostly located in coastal region of West Bengal. 

These crops are commonly known as Trivoltine crop in which the lac insects pass 

through three life cycles in thirteen months. 

Crop Wise lac Production 

Regarding share of different crops, Katki-33.39% 

(rainy season crop of Rangeeni) contributed 

the most in national lac production followed 

respectively by baisakhi27.35% (summer season 

crop of rangeeni), jethwhi 19.50% (summer 

season crop of kusmi) and aghani19.42% (winter 

season crop of kusmi) 

LAC ENCRUSTATION 

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LIFE HISTORY OF LAC INSECT 

The lac insect ( Kerria lacca ) starts its life as a minute soft bodied nymphs, ovate in outline, slightly 

pointed posteriorly, nearly 0.6 mm. long excluding antennae and anal setae and about 0.25 mm 

across the thorax. It is crimson coloured, though yellow and white forms are also found in nature. 

LAC INSECT 

The nymphs emerge in large number at certain times of the year from the lac cells of the female insect 

depending on the strains and crop seasons, and crawl over the twigs and branches of the plants in 

search of suitable places for settlement. They settle very gregariously. A healthy female produces 

130 to 400 nymphs. The nymphal emergence from a female continues for a fortnight but from a twig 

comprising of many lac females, it continues for slightly more than 3 weeks and is controlled by the 

climatic conditions prevailing at that time. The lac nymphs usually emerge in greater number during 

8.0 to 12.0 hrs. They thrust their hair like proboscis upto phloem region to derive their nutrition. Once 

settled, the female never moves during its life time, while the male moves out only during the last 

phase of its life. The female insect then spends its entire life alone in the lac cell. The larval settlement 

is very dense at first often completely covering the lower surface of the twigs and sometimes 

extending to the upper surfaces as well. Density of settlement ranges from 150 to 180 sq. cm. 

A day or so after settlement, the nymph start secreting resin from the glands, distributed under the 

cuticle all over the body except near the mouth parts, the breathing pores and the vent. The nymphs 

thus get encased in cells of their own secretion, which increases in size with the increase in the size 

of the insect. 

The male and the female among the young larvae are not easily differentiated by the naked eye. In 

most cases, the females are preponderant, their population being about three times greater than 

that of the males. In some progenies the males may be in excess. After secretion of lac, the cell of the



male is elongated and shaped like a cigar, while that of the female is more or less oval is shape. The 

lac formed by the male is relatively small and therefore, the occasional preponderance of the males 

makes a poor crop. 

The insect moults three times before reaching maturity, the duration of each instar 

depending on the host species and the environmental factors. 

After the first moult, both the female as well as male nymphs lose their legs, antennae 

and eyes. The male lac cells assume slipper like appearance and a loose operculum 

at the rear end is clearly seen after the second moult. During the last stage the male 

insects no longer feed as the mouth parts become atrophied. 

Subsequently after the second moult, the nymph pass through the prepupal and 

pupal stage when appendages which ultimately develop into legs, antennae, eyes and 

wings ( except in apterous males) , aedeagus etc. are seen. The adult males, winged 

or wingless emerge with the hind end of the body first by pushing the operculum. 

Normally the winged males occur during the summer crops and the relative number 

of the two forms in a colony vary considerably in different seasons. A male has life of 

62-92 hrs. after emergence and copulate with the female which continues to remain 

enclosed in the lac cell. A male insect is capable of fertilizing 45 females. 

The female nymphs unlike the male, do not develop the organs cast off earlier after 

the first moult except the rudimentary antennae and the organs peculiar to the 

females become conspicuous. During the subsequent instars the female nymphs 

become swollen in form and loose all traces of segmentation. They assume form of a 

pear or roundish bag and completely occupy the space inside the lac cells. After the 

final and the third moult , the female is sexually mature and is fertilized by the male . 

Lac secretion by the females continue and the size of the insects as well as that of the 

enveloping lac cells increase at faster space. The female lac insects thus attain size, 

which is several times that of a male lac cell, and are therefore, the chief source of lac 

secretion. The females continue to secrete lac until eggs are laid. As the time of egg 

laying approaches, the female insects contract at one side, gradually vacating space 

inside the enveloping lac-cells. The powdery wax and wax filaments are secreted and 

shed in the vacated space, possibly to provide dry dressing and cushion for the future 

young nymphs. The anal tubercle is gradually withdrawn inside the cells for laying 

eggs, which hatch into nymphs immediately after laying. 

Egg laying ceases if the temperature falls below 17°c in summer and 15°c in winter. 

The lac nymphs inside the lac cells become inactive below the temperature of 20°c but 

their capacity to produce lac subsequently under favorable condition is not impaired. 

The bio-features of females in the progeny are not adversely affected by subjecting 

the brood lac ( lac encrustation on a twig containing gravid females) to temperature 

below 20 0 c for short period. 

13



14 

LOCAL CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF LAC 

The cultivation practices followed by the lac cultivators are essentially the same 

throughout India except for slight deviation here and there to suit local conditions. 

It consists of taking repeated partial lac crop on the same tree after allowing a few 

shoots, carrying lac for self-inoculation every time or when the crop is harvested. 

Keeping the trees under continuous lac inoculation and heavy pruning of brunches 

repeatedly to collect lac crop, leads to general loss of vitality of the trees. Also the 

self inoculation of the trees lead to over-infection on the twigs and this quite often 

results in whole sale mortality of the crop in season of extreme summer. Besides, 

this helps multiplication of enemy insects of lac resulting in failure of crops, which 

ultimately forces the cultivator to abandon cultivation on most of the lac host trees. 

In such seasons brood lac is not readily available for purchase and if at all, a very 

high price has to be paid which the cultivator cannot afford to pay. The cultivator 

usually purchases his brood to the extent he can afford at that time and puts it on a 

few trees and start cultivation cycle afresh. In favorable seasons, he reaps his crops 

and inoculates more of his trees and continues the self inoculation repeatedly till the 

crop fails again. 

Thus production is unsteady and usually a bumper crop is obtained in cycles of 3 to 

4 years. Being a subsidiary crop, lac cultivation is carried on a casual manner and the 

cultivator is generally satisfied with what ever he gets.

SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF LAC CULTIVATION 

To start lac cultivation, two things are mainly to be taken into consideration: 

(a) The suitable host plant on which the lac insect thrives. 

(b) Availability of healthy brood lac in time. 



Brood lac (in common parlance seed of other agricultural crops) is mature lac where from the 

young insects are ready to come out within the time specified. For getting the best result out 

of lac cultivation, the work should be planned on systematic basis. Such planning will aim at a 

sustained annual yield and also ensure that area under cultivation acquires self sufficiency of 

brood lac. Under systematic working, the host plants are cultivated and rested in turn in COUPE 

SYSTEm. The host trees should be properly pruned to put forth young succulent shoots before 

inoculation. Only enemy insect free brood lac should be used for inoculation. Lac crops being 

highly sensitive to climate vagaries, care has to be taken to provide optimum conditions for 

successful results. 

Selection of suitable host plants 

Selection of suitable host plants for lac cultivation is of paramount importance because quality and 

yield of lac depend on this. 

Selected lac hosts should have the following salient features : 

(i) Fairly quick growing. 

(ii) Lower sap density. 

(iii) Well adapted to pollarding. 

Selection of suitable site for lac cultivation 

As lac can grow only in open areas, the sites for lac host plantation should be in such a place where 

free circulation of air around the host spp. is assured. Cultivation should not be attempted at places 

where fire susceptibility is there. When starting cultivation in new areas having lac host spp., it is 

always desirable to prune them before infection to ensure good lac production. 

COUPE SYSTEM: A SUSTAINED YIELD BASIS OF LAC CULTIVATION 

The coupe system has been developed for lac production on sustained yield basis. If the 

same tree is continuously inoculated, its vitality suffers and the yield of crop progressively 

diminishes. It is therefore, important that host plants are given periodic rest. The coupe system 

of cultivation provides for a maximum use of host plant resources consistent with their vigor 

and well being. 

In Rangeeni farms, two coupe system with equal number of palas (Butea monosperma) trees in two 

coupes having six (6) months rest is adopted for raising Baisakhi-cum-Katki crops in alternate seasons. 

The trees are inoculated with about 500g. of rangeeni brood lac per tree , in the month of Oct.-Nov. 

15



Harvesting is done after a year, after allowing self-inoculation in June-July by partial harvesting and 

then harvesting the combined Baisaki-cum-Katki crop in next Oct. Nov. 

In the Kusumi farms, Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) is the major lac host plant species of Kusumi stain 

of lac insect. Five coupe system with equal number of trees in each coupe having 18 months rest in 

between pruning and inoculation is adopted. The trees are pruned 18 months prior to inoculation. 

Thereafter in the subsequent crops, harvesting will serve the purpose of pruning. The harvesting of 

crop is done after 6 months of inoculation. 

PREPARATION OF FEEDING GROUND FOR LAC INSECTS 

To get a good quality lac through cultivation, it is necessary to ensure proper type of feeding ground 

to the lac insects. The insects have to be provided with succulent shoots, as it can not drive its slender 

proboscis through thick bark. For getting a good number of requisite succulent shoots the most 

essential operation is pruning. 

Pruning Operation 

Pruning at proper time is one of the important operations where the branches/ twigs are cut in order 

to get the maximum numbers of succulent shoots to facilitate feeding of the lac insects. Improvised 

scientific method of pruning which is done in the brood lac farms is as follows: 

Pruning is done lightly, because light pruning avoids stunted growth and allows gradual increase in 

the frame of the tree. Branches more than 2.5 cm in diameter (more than thickness of one’s thumb) 

are not cut. Branches 1.25 cm or less in diameter are cut flush with a branch or trunk from where 

they arise. Branches between 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm in diameter are cut, so as to leave behind a stalk of 

about 30-45 cm in length. Dead and diseased branches are removed, split or broken branches are 

cut below the split. 

If trees are old and have lost their capacity to produce vigorous shoots of new flush, heavier pruning 

is carried out to produce the new wood at the expense of the old. Such operation will bring the tree 

to a better shape, so that subsequent pruning will give the desired flush. Proper pruning should 

result a good shape and give plenty of room for the development of new shoots. 

Objectives of Pruning 

To ensure new, good, healthy and succulent shoots. 

16 

To ensure availability of large number of shoots (larger area for lac insect settlement ). 

To provide rest to host plant for maintaining it vigour. 

To remove dead, diseased and broken branches. 

Types of pruning in lac host plants 

Two types of pruning/ coppicing have been recommended for lac culture. 

(i) Apical/ light pruning : Branches less than 2.5 cm diameter should be cut from base and



branches more that 2.5 cm diameter should be sharply cut leaving a stump of 30-45 cm from 

the base. Diseased and dead portion of branches should be removed completely. Light pruning 

is recommended for slow growing conventional tree host species like palas, kusum and ber. 

(ii) Basal / heavy pruning: Branches having less than 7 cm thickness should be removed from 

the base, whereas thicker branches should be cut at a place where it has a diameter of 7 cm. In 

quick growing bushy host, pruning should be done at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground 

level e.g. Flemingia macrophylla, F. semialata. 

Pruning time 

After several years of experimenting at Indian Lac Research Institute 

( presently I.I.N.R.G.), Ranchi, Jharkhand, it has been found that the best results are obtained by 

pruning in February for raising the Katki crop and in April for raising the Baisakhi crop in the case of 

major Rangeeni host, ber and palas. Pruning in these months will give shoots four and six months old 

respectively for the lac larvae to feed on. 

In case of kusum, pruning is best done in the month of June-July and January – February. These 

months coincide with those in which the crops mature and so harvesting of the mature crop 

serves the purpose of pruning also. Pruning time will, however need to be adjusted to suit local 

conditions. 

Under Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand) condition the following pruning times for different lac hosts have 

been found suitable for lac culture . 

Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) : Prunning should be done either in January / February or in June / 

July. 

Khair (Acacia catechu) : Pruning is to be done in March. However, harvesting of lac crop 

during February may be used to serve as pruning also. 

Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana) : Pruning should be done in February for inoculation in July and in 

April / May for inoculation in October-November. For Kusmi lac crop, 

ber should be pruned 5 months before inoculation. However, recent 

observations have shown that harvesting of Aghani crop during 

February may also serve as pruning for inoculation in June – July. 

Palas (Butea monosperma) : Pruning should be done in February for lac inoculation in July and 

April for inoculation in October – November. 

Ficus spp. : Pruning is to be done in April for inoculation in July and in May for 

inoculation in October. 

Pruning instruments 

Most of the lac cultivators do pruning with axes. Proper pruning can not be done with the axe. If 

branches are cut with axe, they will either break or split. In both the cases damage to tree will be 

17



caused at cutting place in form of scraping of bark or splitting, giving opportunity for insect pest 

attack. The ideal pruning instruments are secateurs and long handled tree prunners. Of these 

instruments, the most valuable are the long handled tree prunners. There are two types of secateurs. 

These are Roll cut secateur and the French secateur. The former is better and easier to use but is easily 

damaged by careless handling 

Pruning is also done with pruning knife and Dauli. The use of pruning shear and pruning saw fitted in 

long handle makes the operation easier as the pruning is done directly by standing on ground and 

climbing is avoided. 

Collection of brood lac 

Lac sticks, having mature female insects ready to give rise to the next generation are 

called brood lac. As the female lac insect is capable of giving rise to a large number 

of larvae and to get the maximum benefit, it is essential that the brood should be cut 

at the proper time, so as to secure the emergence of the maximum possible number 

of larvae from it. 

18 

PREPARATION OF BROOD LAC BUNDLE 

For quality of brood lac, lac crops should be harvested only when mature. The cutting of brood lac 

should be taken up at the correct time keeping in view the swarming period i.e. the expected date of 

larval emergence. The ideal time of cutting would be that which will result in the swarming, starting 

immediately or within a couple of days of tying the brood on the host plant. 

Selection of brood lac 

After the brood lac has been cut from the plants, it is necessary to subject it to proper examination, 

so that only healthy lac with the minimum signs of predator and parasite damage is selected for use 

as brood lac. This is necessary to minimize the chances of propagation of the insect enemies of lac 

insects. 

Inoculation of brood lac 

This operation includes putting of bundles of brood lac (lac sticks containing gravid females) in the 

host twigs for allowing young lac larvae (crawlers) to come out of their mother cells and settle on the 

host plant.

INOCULATION OF BROOD LAC 

Following aspects should be taken into consideration during inoculation operation: 

(i) Pest -free healthy brood lac should be used. 

(ii) Unwanted portions of the brood lac sticks should be removed. 



(iii) Bundles of brood lac (about 100 g. by weight) are to be prepared and put these bundles inside 

60 mesh nylon netting bags (approx. size 30 x 10 cm.). These will entrap all the predators and 

parasites but allow the lac larvae to come out. 

(iv) The brood lac bundles are tied onto the branches parallel to shoots . 

(v) One meter long brood lac is sufficient to inoculate 10-15 m. long shoots of equal length. 

(vi) During the period of inoculation, there are chances of brood bundles falling off and one 

should go round the inoculated trees in each branch and put such bundles back on the tree. 

(vii) Attempts should be made to see that the brood lac bundles are not kept on the tree for more 

that the minimum period required for complete inoculation. Ordinarily, this period will be 

two to three weeks. If the brood lac is kept even after the lac larvae have completely emerged, 

there is the danger of a larger number of enemy insects emerging from the empty (phunki) 

brood lac sticks and infestating the field heavily. 

Inoculation period in different lac crops 

Strain Crops Normal inoculation Period 

Rangeeni Baisakhi Oct. / Nov. 

Katki June / July 

Kusmi Ahgani June / July 

Jethwi Jan. / Feb. 

19



Phunki Removal 

The operation pertains to the removal of brood lac bundles used for inoculation purposes and the 

used up brood lac after complete emergence of lac larvae from female cells is called phunki removal. 

Ordinarily the emergence of lac larvae from the brood lac ceases after three weeks. The phunki lac so 

removed is scrapped off thereafter in the brood lac for more that three weeks from the start of larval 

emergence to avoid emergence of enemy insects. Phunki bundles are pulled down from the trees 

with the help of pole mounted Phunki hook or by climbing on trees. 

Harvesting 

This operation is done any time after the appearance of yellow spot which appears as a spot about 

a week prior to emergence of lac larvae. But in case of ari lac (immature) harvesting, the appearance 

of yellow spot is not considered. Yield of ari lac harvesting is about 25% less than mature crop 

harvesting. Harvested branches are collected and scrapped to get stick lac. Pruning instruments are 

used in harvesting. Secateur or long handle tree prunners are better equipments for harvesting lac 

crop. If there is a surplus brood lac on the host, partial harvesting is done. 

20 

Period of harvesting 

Type of Harvesting Trees Period 

Partial harvesting Palas 

June / July 

Kusum Jan. / Feb or June / July 

Complete harvesting Palas Oct. / Nov. 

(Brood lac coupe tree) 

April / May 

(Ari coupe) 

REmARK : 

In summer (jethwi and baisakhi crops), complete harvesting is done one week before emergence of 

the larvae whereas in winter (aghani and katki crops) complete harvesting is done when emergence 

of larvae start.

ENEMIES OF LAC INSECTS 



There are many natural enemies of lac insects which include vertebrates, invertebrates (insect 

predators and parasites) and microbial flora. 

Vertebrate enemies of lac insects 

The important vertebrate enemies are squirrels and rats and the damage caused by those enemies 

can be as serious as 50% of brood sticks in worst condition. Squirrels are active during the day time 

and the damage by them is more common under forest condition. Rats are active at night time and 

the damage usually occurs near about the villages. 

Towards the crop maturity, these pests either gnaw the mature lac encrustation on the tree and 

the brood lac tied to trees for inoculation and consume the full grown lac female insects with plenty 

of eggs inside them. The damage to brood lac tied to trees interferes with the inoculation, as the 

brood bundles and lac encrustations drop to the ground while the larval emergence is taking place. 

Besides squirrels and rats, monkeys also cause some damage to lac encrustations and to the newly 

developing shoots from pruned trees by breaking them. 

Control 

It is difficult to control the squirrels and rats under the open field conditions where lac is cultivated. 

However scaring away of these animals or poisoning them may be adopted to keep the rodents 

under attack. 

Insect enemies of Lac insect 

It has been estimated that on an average, up to 30-40% of the lac cells are destroyed by insect 

enemies of lac crop. At times, the enemy attack can be so serious as to result in crop failures. 

These are two kinds of enemy insects : 

(1) Parasites & (II) Predators 

(i) Parasites : All parasites causing damage to lac insect belong to the Order Hymenoptera of 

class Insecta. A list of parasites associated with lac insect Kerria lacca) is presented below : 

Sl.No. Name of the parasite Family 

1. Anicetus dodonia - Encyrtidae 

2. Atropates hautefeuilli - Encyrtidae 

3. Aphrastobracon flavipennis - Encyrtidae 

4. Bracon greeni - Encyrtidae 

5. Campyloneurus indicus - Encyrtidae 

6. Coccophaqus tchirchii Aphelinidae 

21



Sl.No. Name of the parasite Family 

22 

7. Erencyrtus dewitzi Encyrtidae 

8. Eupelmus tachardiae Eupelmidae 

9. Eurymyiocnema aphelinoides Aphelinidae 

10. Lyka lacca Encyrtidae 

11. marietta javensis Aphelinidae 

12. Parageniaspis indicus Encyrtidae 

13. Parechthrodryinus clavicornis Encyrtidae 

14. Protyndarichus submettalicus Encyrtidae 

15. Tachardiaephagus tachardiae Encyrtidae 

16. Teachardiobius nigricans Encyrtidae 

17. Aprostocetus(Tetrastichus) purpureus Eulophidae 

Among the parasites listed above Tachardiaephagus tachardiae and Tetrastichus purpureus are the 

most abundant lac associated parasites. They lay their eggs in the lac cells and the grubs (larvae) 

hatching out feed on the lac insect within its cell. 

(II) Predators : 

The predators on the other hand, are more serious and may cause damage up to 30-35 percent to 

the cells in a crop. 

The list of predators of lac insects are given below: 

Sl. No. Insect Predator Order Family 

1. Eublemma amabilis Lepidoptera Noctuidae 

2. E. coccidiphaga ,, ,, 

3. E. cretacea ,, ,, 

4. E. scitula ,, ,, 

5. Pseudohypatopa pulverea ,, Blastobasidae 

6. Catablemma sumbavensis ,, ,, 

7. Cryptoblabes ephestialis ,, ,,

Sl. No. Insect Predator Order Family 



8. Phroderces falcatella ,, Cosmopterygidae 

9. Lacciferophaga yunnanea ,, Momphidae 

10. Chrysopa madestes Neuroptera Chrysopidae 

11. C. lacciperda ,, ,, 

12. Berginus maindroni Coleoptera Mycetophagidae 

13. Silvanus iyeri ,, Cucujidae 

14. Tribolium ferrugineum ,, Tenebrionidae 

15. Phyllodromia humbertiana Dictyoptera Blattellidae 

16. Ischonoptera fulvastrata ,, ,, 

Eublemma amabilis and Pseudohypatopa pulverea are the most destructive key pests of lac insects 

and are in regular occurrence but their incidence may vary from season to season, place to place and 

crop to crop. 

(i) Eublemma amabilis : 

It is the most destructive predator of lac insect and causes most damage during katki and aghani lac 

crops i.e. during the rainy season in comparison to the other two crops. 

Life history : 

A single female moth lays greyish, flat and rounded eggs singly on the test of lac insect. The newly 

hatched larvae, 0.51 to 0.54 mm long, get at the lac insect either through the opening of the test or 

by tunneling a hole through encrustation. A single larva can destroy 40-60 lac insect cells in its whole 

larval period. It has six generations in a year and the duration of the generations are about 37, 45, 

42, 125, 80 and 40 days respectively. Attacked lac cells can easily be identified because of its pinkish 

colouration due to presence of pink coloured discs of excreta inside the hollow lac cells. 

(ii) Pseudohypatopa pulverea : 

It is also destructive predator of lac insects and found in all lac growing areas of the country. It feeds 

on the live and dead lac insects and is found in large numbers in stored lac and so it is responsible for 

the qualitative and quantitative deterioration of stored lac. 

Life history 

It lays oval (0.5 mm X 0.3 mm), colourless eggs, singly on the test of lac insects. Larvae pass normally 

through 5 instars but the hibernating larvae have nine instars. The newly hatched larva is about 1.35 

23



mm long whereas a mature larva is 10 - 12 mm in length and 2 mm in breadth. Larval 

stages feed on the lac larvae and spins a loose web. A single larval predator is capable of destroying 

45-60 mature lac cells. 

24 

PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF INSECT ENEMIES 

Preventive measures : 

(i) Parasite and predator free brood lac should be used for inoculation. 

(ii) Self inoculation of lac crops should be avoided as far as possible. 

(iii) Inoculated brood bundles should be kept on the host tree for a minimum period 

only. 

(iv) Phunki (empty brood lac sticks) should be removed from the inoculated trees in 2 – 3 weeks 

time. 

(v) All lac cut from the tree and all phunki brood lac (after use as brood lac) not 

required for brood purpose should be scraped or fumigated at once. 

(vi) Cultivation of Kusmi strain of lac should be avoided in predominantly rangeeni area and viceversa. 

Mechanical control : 

Use of 60 mesh synthetic netting (brood bag) to enclose brood lac for inoculation purposes can 

reduce infestation of enemy insects of lac. The emerging lac larvae easily crawl out from the minute 

pores of the net and settle on the twigs of the lac host plants, whereas the emerging adult predator 

enemies can not move out of the brood bags and get entrapped within the net. This can check the 

egg laying by the predator moths on the new crop. 

Chemical control : 

Application of 0.05% endosulfan at 30-35 days stage of crop has been identified as the most effective 

dose of insecticide without any adverse effect on the economic attributes of the lac insect. 

Microbial control : 

Use of bio- pesticide, Thuricide (Bacillus thuringiensis) at 30-35 days stage of crop is the effective 

microbial control measure for important enemy insects of lac in field condition. 

Biological control : 

Two ant predators viz. Camponotus compresus and solenopsis geminate rufa are the most important 

and promising for biological control of predator enemies of lac in field condition. 

Egg parasitoids viz. Trichogramma pretiosum, T. chilonis, T. poliae, Trichogrammatoidea bactrae and 

Telenomus remus have been found to be effective in management of lac predators.



Microbial flora associated with lac insects: 

Two types of microflora viz. bacteria and fungi are associated with the lac insects. Bacteria act through 

lac hosts and could be symbiotic or pathogenic where as effect of fungi is direct either as symbiotic 

or as an adversary. Microbial studies conducted have revealed that four species of micro-organisms 

viz. micrococcus varians, m. conglomerates, Clostridium sp. and Bacillus subtilis are found is permanent 

association with various stages of lac insects. Presence of various symbiotic microflora is considered 

beneficial for good yield of lac particularly during rainy season crop. Association of fungi with lac 

insect is not always beneficial. 

Besides insect enemies, lac crop yield suffers significant loss due to other biotic agents particularly 

fungi. Fungal infection in lac culture causes severe losses of lac yield by: 

(i) Killing the lac insects by inhibiting respiration. 

(ii) Hindering mating process. 

(iii) Blocking larval emergence 

(iv) Affecting lac host efficiency. 

Lac culture during rainy season is prone to fungal attack particularly when grown on Ber (Ziziphus 

mauritiana), Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) due to their steady and spreading crown. Three species 

of fungi belonging to family Eurotiaceae and Aspergillaceae viz. Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus 

terricola and Penicillium citrinum are reported to cause maximum loss in lac crop. Aspergillus awamori 

and Penicillium citrinum are black and greenish in colour respectively were observed to make a 

continuous cover on lac insect culture and thereby blocking their breathing pores and ultimately 

leading to mortality of lac insects. A pathogenic fungus, Pythium sp. in female tests, causes a heavy 

mortality on the larvae which fail to enclose satisfactorily and lie dead in clusters within the female 

resinous cell. 

Prevention and control : 

Application of fungicides, Bavistin (carbendazim 0.05%) and Dithane M-45 (mancozeb, 0.18%) by 

both dipping of brood lac before inoculation and spraying on standing crop gives significantly better 

yield of lac. Significant reduction (75% to 84%) in mortality of 2nd inster lac nymphs/ larvae can be 

done by the application of different concentration of carbendazim and aureofungin on kusmi stain 

of lac insect. 

25



26 

LAC CULTIVATION VIS A VIS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 

AND RURAL ECONOMY 

Lac cultivation is simple, free from high technology and does not need large investment . It 

requires only part time attention of cultivators thus eminently suited to the tribal/rural people 

living in the vicinity of natural and man-made forests. Sustained attention on the lac cultivation 

will lead to the sustained production and steady returns can be achieved by adopting improved 

methods of cultivation. Lac insects are cultured on such host trees which are capable of growing 

in wastelands. 

Lac culture offers viable entrepreneurial opportunities and is no doubt uniquely suited to 

the economy and social structure of developing countries like India. It paves the way for rural 

employment and rural development. Lac insects depend on the various forest species viz. Palas, 

Kusum, Ber, Babul, Khair etc . Failure of protection mechanism and uncontrolled illicit cutting 

has resulted in degradation in forest as well as the lac host plants. Lac culture can arrest forest 

destruction and permit gainful utilization of vast natural wealth. For the conservation of lac host 

plants, lac host jungle with active involvement of forest dwellers / tribals would save our natural 

environment and bring out eco-friendly relation between plants and animals. 

In the recent past, there has been considerable degradation in the environment mainly due 

to the factors responsible for improvement in the quality of human life. The ecosystem of the 

country is in precarious state. We have been consistently losing the forest and consequently 

the forest resource are dwindled. The alarming resource degradation can be combated only by 

creation of man made forests on an adequate scale while simultaneously providing protection 

to our natural forests. Every tree raised on any land provide both protective and productive 

functions. In India, the total wastelands in non-forest area are estimated to be 93.70 million ha in 

which suitable programme to check any further deforestation and deterioration of environment. 

It is in this context, lac cultivation is of paramount importance in India. Promotion of lac 

cultivation on natural and man made forests will not only help on ecosystem development but 

also act as attractive alternative for economic returns of forest dwellers. The economy of people 

living in and around the forest is very much dependent upon the forests for self consumption 

of forest products and income generation by their sale. Dependence on forest products is 

particularly high in villages which have not undergone agricultural development. Local people 

depending on the forest products for their subsistence should be trained in the cultivation of lac 

using scientific methods. A conservation package including protection of lac host plants, their



management and propagation for the purpose of lac cultivation should be evolved for each 

region to ensure viable income to rural people. The National Forest Policy (1988) has given due 

importance to people’s participation in creation and conservation of resources. Participatory 

Forest Management is the new concept for regenerating the degraded forest. The Government 

should aim at the programmes leading to the socio-economic development of forest dwellers 

to bring down their level of dependence on forests. Lac cultivation is a programme eminently 

suited for the purpose in which income is generated without destruction of the forest. Further it 

is helpful to enrich the lac jungle. 

Conservation of lac jungles is of vital importance because it is not only helps to enrich the forests 

but also contribute in the direction of achieving the national target of 33.3 % of the forest. The 

conservation of these forests help to supply the basic needs of tribals on sustained basis which helps 

to alleviate their poverty. Tribals / rural people enjoying the benefits of lac culture should be trained in 

the scientific methods of cultivation. Indiscriminate and unscientific exploitation should be avoided. 

The successful implementation of participatory forest management programme in lac cultivation is 

likely to ensure the twin objectives of conservation and meeting the needs of the rural people. 

LITERATURE CONSULTED 

Anon. (1972). Indian Forest Utilization. FRI Publ. Govt. of India, Vol. II 941 pp. 

Anon. (1980). Silviculture of Indian trees. FRI Publ., Govt of India. Vol III 

Anon. (1999 – 2000). Annual Lac Bulletin. IFE (ICFRE), Ranchi. 

Anon. (2001). State of Forest Report, Forest Survey of India, Govt. of India. 

Anon. (2005). State of Forest Report, Forest Survey of India, Govt. of India. 

Anon. (2004 – 2005). Annual Report, Indian Lac Research Institute, Ranchi. 

Anon.(2007). Lac Statistics at a glance IINRG Publ., Ranchi. 

Beeson C.F.C..(1941) The ecology and control of forest insect pests of India and the neighbouring 

countries. Vasant Press, Dehra Dun. 767 pp. 

Chattopadhyay, S. and Pandey,O.N. (2004). Lac Jungle creation : an approach for forest conservation. 

In “Lac industry-convergence for resurgence”, ILRI, Ranchi.3-4. 

Glover,P.M. (1937). Lac cultivation in India. ILRI, Namkum Ranchi. 119 pp. 

Krishnaswami, S (1960) Lac cultivation in India. Farm Bulletin, Directorate of Extension, Ministry of 

Food & Agriculture, Govt. of India, New Delhi, 36 pp. 

27



Mukhopadhyay, B and Muthana, M.S. (1962). A monograph on lac., I.L.R.I., Namkum, Ranchi, India. 

378 pp. 

Negi, P.S. (1956) Improved methods of lac cultivation, I.L.R.I. Bulletin no. 76, 11 pp. 

Norris, D., Glover,P.M. and Aldis, R.W. (1934) Lac and the Indian Lac Research Institute, Namkum. 

53 pp. 

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Introduction to Lac and Lac Culture - Birsa Agricultural University

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