By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : August 25, 2025 11:13 am
IPFT made significant advancements from conventional to next-generation technologies, including nano-enabled and botanical-based formulations
Traditional pesticide formulations often face limitations such as low solubility, unintended toxicity to non-target species, and prolonged environmental persistence. In contrast, specialized pesticide formulations overcome these challenges by improving bioavailability, enabling controlled release, and increasing target specificity. These innovations are aligned with the principles of ecological sustainability and integrated pest management. Advanced formulations—including controlled-release, combination, and biopesticide variants—offer significant advantages over conventional pesticides. They are engineered for higher efficacy with broad-spectrum pest control, allowing for reduced application doses and minimizing the risk of resistance development in pest populations.
The increasing demand for food production and the spread of vector-borne diseases necessitate efficient pest control strategies. Moreover, the disease-carrying vectors cause life-threatening diseases and impose a social and economic burden. The dependence on conventional agrochemical formulations to manage agricultural pests and disease vectors may further harm the environment and consumers.
Role and Relevance of IPFT
Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, Gurugram is an autonomous institute under Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India is one of its kind institute in India with a focus to develop user and environment-friendly new generation pesticide formulations, bio-botanical formulations, analytical services, bioefficacy & phytotoxicity studies since its inception.
IPFT designs formulations with improved solubility, stability, leaf adhesion, and controlled release properties and targeted delivery to combat both agricultural pests and disease vectors. The institute has the latest and advanced state-of-the-art infrastructure to develop pesticide formulations, their analytical characterization, bioefficacy & phytotoxicity evaluation through lab and field trials with a facility to optimize pilot scale demonstrations of the developed pesticide formulations.
The analytical facility of IPFT has been certified by NGCMA as per OECD-GLP principles and accredited by NABL as per ISO/IEC – 17025: 2017 and also recognized by Central Insecticide Board & Registration Committee (CIB & RC) for data generation for household and crop protection product registration related to bioefficacy, phytotoxicity, and residue studies.
IPFT is contributing to the industry by developing highly specialized formulations, including green formulations based on biological and botanicals for crop protection and public health applications. To date, 95 formulation technologies have been developed and successfully transferred to various industries, with 15 of these technologies secured through patents. Additionally, over 100 research papers have been published in esteemed national and international journals. Today, IPFT has a strong presence in the Indian agrochemical industries and support them through formulation development and pilot scale demonstration, bio-evaluation and analytical chemistry data generation. IPFT conducts farmers’ awareness programs to make them aware about the safe and judicious use of pesticides, integrated pest management and good agricultural practices and utilize the locally available plants for pesticide extract preparation for agricultural applications etc. Further it also conducts industry interaction meets to brief about the advancements in pesticide formulations, analytical and bio-evaluation studies and regulatory requirements etc.
Figure 1: Pictorial representation of IPFT facilities and activities
IPFT Initiatives in Improved Conventional Formulations
Initial efforts were focused on the development of conventional pesticide formulations such as dustable powder (DP), wettable powder (WP), emulsifiable concentrate (EC), soluble liquids (SL) and these had limitations as dust inhalation and solvent toxicity etc.IPFT has transitioned to green solvents and bio-based adjuvants, reducing the active ingredient dose and environmental impact.
Sustainable alternatives such as green EC and SL formulations have been explored. These were possessed to have limitations like presence of petroleum-based solvents (EC formulation) and dust inhalation with the use of DP and WP; in addition, these are difficult to mix in spray tanks and, have poor compatibility, and sometimes toxic to crops and non-target organisms, resulting in environmental contamination. Later on, IPFT made efforts to modify the EC formulations by replacing petroleum distillates with green solvent which helped to reduce the environmental impact by using more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. This change aligns with the commitment to promote green chemistry practices in the agrochemical industry. The use of bio-based adjuvant reduced the required dose of pesticide active ingredient, which led to make advances in SL formulation, and then green solvent-based EC formulations are being explored as a sustainable alternative to petroleum solvent based EC.
New Generation Technologies: A Transition from Conventional Formulation Technologies
New-generation formulation technologies have been introduced to overcome challenges associated with conventional technologies. With advancements in pesticide formulation technologies, IPFT has developed new-generation formulations, including EW (Emulsion-in-water), SC (Suspension Concentrate), and WDG (Water-dispersible granules). The new generation formulations offered several technologies like SC, WDG as safer alternatives to WP, DP, and EC. The efforts at IPFT continue to advance new-generation formulations of synthetic and botanical-based pesticides, aiming for a safe and smart delivery systems of pesticides that can reduce the adverse effects associated with conventional formulations. The most recent trends in formulation technologies, emphasizing botanical pesticides and combination formulations, including bio-waste reuse and controlled release technology, are currently trending. Examples include SC formulation for controlling parasitic weeds, WDG formulation of biopesticide etc.
Figure 2: Different types of formulations developed at IPFT
Nanopesticides formulations
Nanopesticides involve tiny particles of a pesticide's active ingredient (a.i.) with at least one size dimension in the range of 1-100 nm. The advantages of nanoparticle-based pesticide formulations include enhanced water solubility, wettability, bioavailability and increased stability of an active pesticide, the capacity to delay the release of active ingredients, and the ability to prevent pesticide degradation from environmental factors, as well as increased insecticidal activity due to smaller particle size and greater surface area. IPFT developed nanotechnology-based formulations, including nanosuspension, nanoencapsulation and nanoemulsions for pesticide delivery, which has advantages as outline above resulting in improved pest control and contributing to the progress of agrochemicals delivery, which can become a potential breakthrough in crop protection and pest management.
Our recent research has focused on nanoemulsions of synthetic as well as biopesticides to control agricultural pests and vectors that can transmit deadly diseases. IPFT investigated the effectiveness of water-insoluble resin derived from the tree of Pinaceae family, served as the biopesticide, and loaded into stable nano-micelles. In a field bioassay, a single spray treatment of resin-loaded nanoemulsion provided at least nine days of protection against aphid infestation. Further, grape pomace-derived extract to develop nano formulation, which was effective against whiteflies, the potential of botanical nanoemulsion as a biopesticide, namely castor oil, and biowaste, cashew nut shell liquid nanoemulsion, orange peel derived nanoemulsion as a larvicide against mosquito vectors were also investigated.
Biopesticide Formulations: Botanicals, Microbial & Waste Valorization
In a move to develop safer alternatives to DDT under the United Nations Industrial Development Organization sponsored project, IPFT developed neem and Bacillus thuringiensis-based biopesticide formulations such as neem-based repellent coil, cream, suspension concentrate, surface spreading, and tablet formulations against mosquito vectors and were transferred to Hindustan Insecticide Limited for commercialization. Water-based SC formulation of Verticillium lecanii and oil dispersion of Sisham leaf extract have been developed against aphids of seed spice crops.
The herbicide formulation for the management of orobanche weed was developed in collaboration with ICAR-DRMR, Bharatpur. Bioefficacy field trial results indicate good control of target weed. Bio-botanical formulations may be effectively used as safer alternatives to synthetic pesticides and have potential applications in minimizing pesticide residue in crops and promoting organic farming. A botanical-based oil dispersion system has been developed considering the above facts, which showed good bioefficacy against aphids of spice crops.
Figure 3: Different biopesticides formulation developed at IPFT
Combination Pesticide Formulations
Due to the high operational costs associated with agrochemical usage in agriculture, pesticides are combined in formulations to prevent tank mixing; as a result, combination applications of various products are prevalent and trending in agriculture. Water formulation technologies are commonly employed in combination formulations. The combination formulations include Suspo-emulsions (SE), ZW (combination of CS + EW), and ZC (combination of CS + SC).
These types of formulations have advantage because of the combination of two pesticides and their individual formulations in one formulation to have broad-spectrum activity, i.e., in EW formulation, which is available for quick action. In contrast, encapsulated lambda-cyhalothrin CS was retained for controlled release effects. Thus, it helps to maintain the effectiveness for an extended period of time with long-term pest control. The combination formulation can be used for different pesticides with a good compatibility index. ZC is the stable aqueous suspension of CS and SC, where one pesticide is encapsulated in a polymeric matrix producing microcapsules, and the other is suspended as fine particles in a water medium. The ZC formulation of thiamethoxam and lambda-cyhalothrin has been effective against soybean aphids, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers, stink bugs, etc. IPFT has developed Lambda cyhalothrin 14 per cent CS and Diflubenzuron 10 per cent SC. This ZC formulation is effective against the early and adult stages of the pest.
Future Outlook
With the current developments in pesticide formulation technology, it is expected that advancements in formulation technology will play a crucial role in the future of agriculture and global food production, contributing to sustainable crop protection. The innovative formulation technologies, including nano-enabled, controlled release, and biopesticide formulation technologies, should be based upon simplicity-in-development approaches and be considered efficient and viable only if created by considering the principal areas like chemistry, agronomy, material science, toxicity, and plant physiology. The cooperation between the public and private sectors is required to allow the design of an improved and environmentally sustainable alternative.
Communication with the public is also essential to promote technological acceptance and combat misconceptions about new technologies. Formulation costs are necessary for developed technology; therefore, minimizing formulation costs while maintaining product quality is crucial. Beyond crop production, other areas, like the public health sector burdened by disease vectors (mosquitoes, ticks, mites, etc.), can profit from these cutting-edge technologies and will be given more consideration in the future. The future of pesticide formulations lies in low-cost, interdisciplinary innovations that ensure sustainability and public acceptance. IPFT aims to support global food security and public health through continued R&D in nano-enabled, biopesticide, and controlled-release technologies.
Authors
Dr. Mohana Krishna Reddy Mudiam, Director, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT)
Smriti Kala, Scientist- Formulation, IPFT
Amrish Agarwal, Specialist-Formulation, IPFT