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NEW
Edition : 1 | Volume : 1
Publishing Year : 2026
Langage : English
Publisher : South India Book Traders
Author/s :
Dr. N. Swaminathan , Dr. M. Senthil Kumar , Dr. K.A. Shanmugasundaram
Availability :
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. N. Swaminathan
Dr. N. Swaminathan, Professor (Agricultural Economics), at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karaikal, U.T. of Puducherry, was born on 21st May 1970 in Chennai Tamil Nadu. He has completed 23 years of teaching, research and extension services in the field of Agricultural Economics specially in Natural Resource Economics, Commodity Futures and Agricultural Insurance. He has conducted field studies on ground water markets, water pricing, water use efficiency, policy issues in power subsidy and water economics. He has completed eight externally funded research projects. He has published 35 research papers, five books with ISBN, and 25 Popular articles. He got 10 awards that includes CSIR Fellowship for carrying out Ph. D. in Agricultural Economics and TNAU Best Ph. D. Scholar award 1999.
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
