Innovation
Our innovation efforts are targeted towards providing efficacious biorational and safe solutions for mitigating problems faced by growers around the world. Varied factors such as adverse climatic conditions and inadequate nutrient uptake can prevent a full expression of economically important traits in a particular phenotype. Leading to increased incidence of sudden pests and disease out breaks and sub par preperformance in field conditions. Seven years of research and three years of extensive field trails have culminated in development of path breaking concepts those can help in mitigating major problems in commercial farming in sustainable and safe manner.
Innovation
Our innovation efforts are targeted towards providing efficacious biorational and safe solutions for mitigating problems faced by growers around the world. Varied factors such as adverse climatic conditions and inadequate nutrient uptake can prevent a full expression of economically important traits in a particular phenotype. Leading to increased incidence of sudden pests and disease out breaks and sub par preperformance in field conditions. Seven years of research and three years of extensive field trails have culminated in development of path breaking concepts those can help in mitigating major problems in commercial farming in sustainable and safe manner.
SEEDS & BUDS
The soil microsphere is highly challenging environment for newly emerging shoots and roots. These challenges can be in form of pathogens, pests or simply abiotic stress. Our seed coating range is highly versatile and can be tailored to mitigate these challenges faced by seed industry.We provide range of highly sophisticated biorational combinations those can be incorporated in seed priming and imbibition stages.
Commercial nurseries raising is a highly specialized activity. Stubborn pathogen infestation is a common occurrence that has huge financial ramification for nurseries. Our products have been specially designed to provide multiple protection against soil and air borne pathogens through systemic and contact action. And facilitate sustained growth resulting in better stand and improved turn around time for commercial nurseries achieved with reduced number of applications.
Bud Breaking in temperate crop is becoming more challenging with changing climate and more susceptible phenotypes. Presently highly poisonous substances such as HCN (hydrogen cyanamide) is used in huge quantities to address this problem in Grapes , Cherries, Kiwi fruit etc. Our versatile biorational formulations are specifically designed to initiate flowering and bud formation during endodormancy thereby facilitating stronger shoot and significantly larger sized bunch/bud emergence.
GROWTH
Pests are a major problem in agriculture and horticulture. Intensive farming practices and limited arable land results in pests developing tolerance to prevalent pesticidal molecules and at the same time newer ones struggle to get faster regulatory clearance.
In nature we can see many common herbs and spices plants those are not effected by pests and some others are not effected by diseases. Our scientists have been able to isolate this active component( antifeedant factor ) and formulate a carrier complex which would enable the plant to absorb this ”antifeedant” component through the roots and disperse it to other parts of the plant.
This “ antifeedant” component has been field tested extensively on solanaceous & cucurbit fruit crops. It was observed that when this” anti feedant factor” was applied to the roots of these crops every 10-15 days the they continued to remain pest free during entire crop cycle of 100 day and more(without any sort of exogeneous or endogenous chemical or biorational pesticidal interventions).
Being a versatile product (anti feedant factor)there are endless possibilities for combinations with other biorational products. This discovery will have far reaching consequence for biorational pesticide market. Truly a once in a life time type of concept.
Multiple IPRs arising out of this discovery are being filed/protected under various patent regimes around the world.
Use of nano technology in formulations to control pests and diseases is a evolving science. We have successfully incorporated this technology in few of our products lines ! And few more targeted products are in pipeline. Similarly the technology for delivery of nutrients through nano particles is a efficacious method to provide precise quantity of nutrient in sustainable way is being developed.
Our scientist have reformulated some conventional pesticidal and fungicidal compounds so as to improve their “Median knock down time”. This was achieved by improving the extraction process and removing unrequired parts of the ingredients. Although this is expensive initially but it is more than compensated by lower dosage required for achieving improved efficacy.
Bacterial infections can be very devastating for the seasonal as well as perennial crops. Our biorational ingredients derived from herbs have very potent contact and systemic action against various bacterial pathogens in soil as well as in air .Efficacy wise they are at par with chloramphenicol and much more superior to streptomycin and amoxicillin.A version of this formulation is being successfully used in tissue culture labs in leu of antibiotics !
Our commercial formulation is based on using proprietary combination of active component of these extracts. This formulation has been able to successfully mitigate XanthomonasAxanopodis Punecea in pomegranate crops on large scale. Presently being trialed on other crops as well.
Nematodes is another problem that is devastating horticultural crops around the world. Since the nematodes complete their life cycle in the soil and there are obvious limitations for use of systemic insecticides since the root tissues cells cannot accumulate adequate concentrations of these insecticides to deter the nematode growth. We at Hi Cell are conduction field trails of one of combination and initial results are quite promising.
Powdery mildew is a major problem in horticulture world wide. The limitations for use of sulfur during maturity and humid conditions are very obvious. There are very few biorationals available to mitigate this issue during late stage of plant growth . Our formulation is highly effective in mitigating this problem at any stage of crop growth without worrying about MRL.
Oomycetes (algae type pathogen ) downy mildew /Pythium rot are difficult to control pathogens specially in vines, cucurbits, solanaceous crops and ginger. Popular chemical controls have been in market since last four decades and are fast loosing their efficacy .Limitations of copper based formulation spare coming to fore due to enhanced tolerance of pathogens & concerns about plant toxicity to copper based fungicide. EU has put upper limit to copper use at 2.5 kg/Hectar.Newer molecules have extended PHIs and are very expensive. Our biorational control of oomycete is based on technology in prompt curtailment of reproductive ability of cells using minimum concentrations of active biorational ingredients.
Our scientists have come up with non hormonal non nutrient type of bio stimulant that precisely enhances the flowering and fruiting in most of field and horticultural crops by 15-25%, this translates in similar yield increase (if the nutrients are not limiting factor). This is achieved without compromising or disturbing fine balance between in natural plant hormones and growth factors involved in phenotypical character expression.
Many Horticultural crops face the problem of sub par fruit sizes , Traditionally GA3 application in seedless grape varieties is standard practice where as in seeded varieties minor increment in fruit size was achieved by applying combination of Cytokinin and nutritional enhancements.
Our non hormonal non nutrient based biorational formulation can increase the fruit size in seeded as well as seedless varieties when applied at any stage of fruit development ( having said this early season application is more effective in producing tangible results). Similarly some newer varieties of grapes ( Arra -15 type)are GA3 intolerant in this case our formulation can come in handy.
Plant based biorational formulations many times contain very high percentages of bioactive ingredients. These excessive concentration of raw ingredients can be toxic to the plant and can induce abiotic stress. Our technology enables us to use very small quantities of active ingredients for better results.
MATURITY & HARVEST
Unlike open pollinated varieties modern day high yielding crop varieties have reduced tolerance to climatic variations .Any discrepancy in climate pattern triggers in adequate/delayed maturity this can cause sub par expression of organoleptic & physical attributes translating into lower farm gate income for the grower.
During this final maturity stages plants require additional support to facilitate true and full expression of phenotypic attributes. This is precise science culminated in development of biorational products those can hasten maturity in crops without sacrificing yield or quality of final produce.
Abiotic & Biotic stress most of the time results in impairing the starch to sucrose conversion process. Leading to inadequate development of organoleptic factors such as flavor and sweetness. Similarly rampant use of 1 Aminoethoxy Glycine has resulted in subdued development of flavor and sweetness in apples , cherries and other non climacteric/climacteric fruits . Our product is designed to precisely corrects this problem by increasing the brix level by 15-20% in a short span of 10 days.
POST HARVEST
Excessive ethylene generation in plants is a result of acute biotic & abiotic stress. We have developed biorational formulation to mitigate this problem.Our biorational ethylene inhibitor can reduce flower and fruit drop caused by abiotic stress and assure uniform maturity if applied at late stage thereby reducing the plucking cost !
Our more advanced ethylene inhibitor formulation can delay sprouting in stored potato there by providing a safe and effective solution for major issue with storage potatoes.
FUTURE
The delivery of critical anti fungal and anti microbial factors using nano particles have been standardized. Initial trails have been very successful and very soon we would be introducing nano tech based products to mitigate many critical issues faced by growers around the world. Omri and EPA are encouraging use of nano tech in agriculture.
