Hydrophilic polymers have been prepared by grafting synthetic monomers on starch, a naturally occuring polysaccharide polymer for improving the water absorption and delaying its loss. Some polymers based on carboxymethyl cellulose developed recently have shown nearly 33000% m/m water absorption. These hydrogels can be used in diverse areas of agriculture such as dryland/rainfed agriculture, hi-tech horticulture and floriculture, nursery raising in soil less media, soil reclamation, agroforestry, artificial lawns and landscapes, terrace gardening etc.

Synthetic pesticides, neem emulsifiable concentrate (EW), Azadirachtin-A concentrate, neem oil microemulsion/microemulsion forming concentrate and processes of making dihydroazadirachtin-A concentrate under ambient conditions have been developed

A process for preparing an herbicidal composition comprising of neem leaves extract for the control of Phalaris minor weed without affecting the growth of wheat has also been developed

Natural and synthetic polymers, either alone or in combination with inorganic inert have been successfully developed as seed coats. Such coats have been developed employing botanical active ingredients ex. neem meliacins etc. Seed coats based on botanical pesticide will help in improving germination, viability, plantability of a seed or vigour of an agronomic plant that is grown from a treated seed that is planted in a pest infested location, by preventing the fungal/nematode/insect infestation that is a pest for the agronomic plant and against which a meliacin compound has bioactivity

Neem oil coated urea (NOCU), Pusaneem GOlden urea and Neem bitter coated urea has been developed. Field efficacy established on rice showed yield increase from 7-17%

Dillapoile, an undesirable constituent present on the tune of 20-40% in the essential oil of Anethum sowa ROxb., and its dihydro derivative prepared in laboratory have been developed as indigenous substitutes for the imported and internationally recognized synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO)

Controlled release formulations of phorate have been successfully developed through its monolithic dispersions in polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl-methacrylate, polyethylene glycol and cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose and starch xanthate. These formulations have been found to provide comparable pest control at one half to one fourth of the phorate content as compared to Thimet 10G, its commercial product

A technology fo rmosquito larvicidal preparations based on Rabdosea melissoides has been developed. The essential oil of r. melissoides and its phenolic and non-phenolic constitutents have been developed as potential mosquito larvicidal products.

Novel pesticidal oxime esters, alkane diol/polyol mono/di/poly alkanoates, 4-methyl-6-pentyl-a-pyrones have been developed as potent wide spectrum pesticidal products. The compounds are effective particularly as nematicides against Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis and fungicides against polyphagous fungi Rhizoctonis solani and Sclerotium rolfsi

Cost effective and indigenous know-how for conventional pesticides namely thiophanate-methyl and mancozeb have been developed and passed to NRDC for commercialization.

The following technologies have been identified for commercialization

A novel bio-pesticidal formulation based on an indigenous heat tolerant species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema thermophilum, incorporated and immobilized into water insoluble superabsorbent hydrogel matrix, has been developed for the first time by a simple method that comprises swelling of the xerogel in appropriate volume of aqueous suspension of the nematode. The formulation obtained has improved shelf life ranging from few hours to 36 months at storage temperatures verying from 5 to 50⁰C. The formulation is not infected by any microorganism and hence does not require any anti-microbial or anti-fungal chemicals

Application technology for using entomopathogenic nematodes against foliar pest: Follow spray of 2000 infective juveniles of Steinernema thermophilum per ml liquid formulation, has been found useful for managing diamond backmoth (Plutella xylostella) on cabbage, cotton boll worm (Spodoptera litura) on cotton and whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) on brinjal and tobacco

Heterorhabditis indica - phagostimulant based alginate beads: The entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis indica (IARI strain) is a highly virulent nematode with the ability to kill insect pests belonging to several orders of economic importance. The infective stage juveniles of the nematodes are embedded in sodium alginate beads along with an insect phagostimulant. The bead can either be broadcast in the soil or applied as spot treatment. Laboratory trials have shown the mortality of Spodoptera litura, Helicoverpa spp., Holotrichia spp., within 48 hours. The shelf-life of the beads is 6-8 months

Neem seed treatment for nematode management

Control of Ear-cockle and tundu disease of wheat.

Diagnostic kit for graft transmissible pathogens in citrus: A cost effective and user friendly diagnostic kit for graft transmissible pathogens in citrus has been developed which includes an inexpensive simplified unified nucleic acid (NA) template preparation for both RNA and DNA pathogens and uniform PCR conditions. Uniform PCR conditions coupled with unified NA template preparation will not only reduce the cost of detection but also reduce the time and energy particularly in view of the fact that citrus is hosts of multiple infections of graft transmissible pathogens. The kit also provides information on important viruses and greening bacterium affecting citrus in India

Biocontrol Technology for Crop Growth Promotion and Disease Management: Biological management is an important alternative supporting system of crop protection in which microorganisms have been widely exploited for managing fungal, bacterial, viral and nematodal disease. This technology is an important component of Integrated Pest Management and Organic Farming System. Fungal bioagents Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viridae have been utilized to develop bio-formulations.