Lac production, constraints and management- A review

Lac- a natural resin of wide industrial applications, is a secretion of Lac insect Kerria lacca Kerr belonging to the family Tachardiidae (Kerriidae) and order Hemiptera. Lac consists of resin, wax and dye, thus has a wide range of applications in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, varnishes, paints, polishes, adhesives, jewellery and textile dyes, since ancient times. India is the largest producer of Lac in the world with a production of 20,000 tons and 75 per cent of it is exported. Lac sector has a socio-economic importance as it employs 3-4 million people mostly forest dependant and tribals. Lac production promotes biodiversity and conserves host plants. Lac crop being vulnerable to both biotic and abiotic factors results in lowering of the yield. The present review of the work is to help understand earlier work done to generate information to increase the production.