4d : Study of different green pesticide formulation.

“Formulation refers to the preparation of a product from an active ingredient by the addition
of certain active (functional) and non- active (inert) substances.” (Grewal 2005).
Formulated organisms are suspended in a suitable carrier which is supplemented by
additives to maximize survival in store, optimize application to the target and protect the
organisms after application.
Basic Functions of formulation:
1. To stabilize the organism during distribution and storage.
2. To aid handling and application of the product so that it is easily delivered to the
target in the most appropriate manner and form.
3. To protect the agent from harmful environmental factors at the target site there by
increasing persistence.
4. To enhance the activity of the organism at the target site by increasing its activity,
reproduction, contact and interaction with the target pest and disease organism.
Bio pesticide formulations can be divided into two formulations:
1. Liquid formulations 2. Day formulations
Study of Dry formulations:-
1. Dusts (DP):- They are formulated by sorption of an active ingredient on finely ground,
solid mineral powder particle size ranging from 50-100 𝜇m. Dusts can be applied directly to
the target, either mechanically or manuall.
Inert ingredients for these formulations are anticaking agents, UV protectants and
adhesive materials to enhance adsorption. Concentration of active ingredient (organism) in
dust usually 10%.
2. Powders for seed treatment (DS):- Powder for seed treatment are formulated by mixing
an active ingredient, powder carriers and accompanying inert to facilitate product adherence
to seed coats. This type of formulation is applied to seeds by tumbling.
Seeds with the product designed to adhere to them. Powder for seed treatment are a very
old type of formulation, a traditional product form for coating seeds and they also contain a
red pigment as a safety marker for dressed seeds.
3) Granules (GR) :- Granules are similar to dust formulations, except that granular particles
are larger and heavier Coarse Particles (size 100-1000 microns for granules and 100-600
microns for micro granules). are made from mineral materials. Concentration of active
ingredient in granules ranges from 5-20%. The active ingredient either coats the outside of
the granules or is absorbed into them.
 Granule products are very simply manufactured, their active ingredient is processed by
mixing a powder blend with a small amount of water to form a paste which is extruded and
dried if necessary.
Granular bio pesticides are mostly used to apply products to the soil in order to control
weeds, nematodes, and insects living in soil or for plant uptake by root.
Once applied granules release their active ingredient slowly. Some time they require soil
moisture to release ingredient
4) Wettable Powders (WP):- WP are day, finely ground formulations to be applied after
suspension in water. Wettable powder are produced by blending an active ingredient with
surfactant, wetting and dispersing agents and inert fillers, followed by grinding to a required
particle size (about 5 microns).
These products can raise serious health and safety issues for manufactures because of their
dustiness, which can cause inhalation and skin and eye irritation problems if strict safety
precautions are not taken.
Because of their dustiness during application, wettable powders are gradually suppressed
by suspension concentrates or water dispersible granules, which have been the most widely
used pesticide formulations.
In Solid biopesticide formulations, much attention has been focused on wettable powders
because of their long storage stability, good miscibility with water and convenient application
using conventional spraying equipment. Water dispersible granules (WG) have been
developed to overcome problems of dustiness of powder formulations.
5) Water dispersible granules (WG): - Granules are designed to be as suspended in water
i.e. granules break up to form uniform suspension similar to that formed by a wettable
powder.
They are dust free, with good storage stability, the granules can be formulated using various
processing techniques such as extrusion granulation, fluid bed granulation, spray drying.
The product contain wetting agent and dispersing agent is usually at higher concentrations.
Granules are more expensive but their safety and greater convenience regarding application
make them still desirable for many years.
6) Emulsions:- Emulsions consist of liquid droplets dispersed in another immiscible liquid
(displaced phase droplet size from 0.1 to 10 µm).
Emulsion can be oil in water (EW), which is a normal emulsion or water in oil (EO), an
invert emulsion. Both products are designed to be mixed with water before use. To avoid
instability the proper choice of emulsifiers for stabilization is extremely important.
 Lower shelf stability and occasional phyto-toxicity may affect the overall performance of
emulsions. To screen a variety of oils and emulsifying agents in order to improve initial
invert emulsion formulations for bio pesticides.
7) Suspension Concentrate (EC):- Suspension concentrate is a mixture of a finely ground,
solid active ingredient dispersed in a liquid phase, usually water. The solid particles are not
dissolved in liquid phase, so that the mixture needs to agitated before application to keep
particles evenly distributed. The composition of suspension concentrate is complex and it
contains wetting/ dispensing agents, thickening agents, antifoaming agents to ensure a
required stability They are produced by a wet grinding process and have particle size
distribution banging from 1-10 µm. During the grinding process inert ingredients adsorbed on
to particle surfaces prevent re-aggregation of small particles.
They have many advantages like pouring and measuring, safety to the operator and the
environment and economy. Therefore they are becoming a very popular type of formulation.
8) Oil dispersions (OD): - Are the dispersions of solid active ingredients in non-aqueous
liquid intended for dilution before use. The non-aqueous liquid is most often an oil, the best
choice is some kind of plant oil. In that way retention, spreading and penetration can be
improved. They have important characters like ability to deliver water sensitive active
ingredients and ability use an adjuvant to fluid instead of water which increase and broken
pest can control.
9) Suspo-emulsions (SE): - Can be considered as a mixture of suspension concentrate and
emulsion. The product is very demanding to formulate because it is necessary to develop a
homogeneous emulsion component simultaneously with a particle suspension component
which will remain stable in the final formulation of the product.
10) Capsule Suspension (CS):- It is a stable suspension of micro-encapsulated active
ingredient in an aqueous continuous phase, intended for dilution with water before use.
Bioagent as its active ingredient is encapsulated incapsules made of gelatin, starch, cellulose
and other polymers. Encapsulation in microcapsules have been extensively used to give
smaller size and high efficiency to fungal biopesticide formulations.
Microcapsule suspensions need to be stabilized with surfactants and thickeners in the same
way as suspension concentrate and similar additives are used.
11) Ultra low volume liquids (UL):- Are formulations with very high concentration of
active ingredients which is extremely soluble in crop-compatible liquid. They are easy to
transport and use. UL liquid bio pesticides can be formulated in a similar way using a
suspended bio control agent as an active ingredients.