SLR 525 SE will help farmers to cope up with whiteflies menace: Dipak Patel, Product Development Head, GSP Crop Science

GSP Crop Science has recently bagged the exclusive patent for its synergistic suspo-emulsion formulation of Pyriproxiefen and Diafenthiuron (branded GSP SLR 525 SE Formulation), which would control the deadly effect of whitefly insects in the country, by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks, which is a subordinate office under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

GSP Crop Science claims to be the first Indian agrochemical company to manufacture Diafenthiuron technical locally in India, and has also been exporting to various countries. GSP also claims to be the first producer of a unique combination of Diafenthiuron + Pyriproxifen in an SE formulation. Whiteflies have been a cause for direct and indirect damage of yield in agriculture, horticulture and forestry crop plants, hence, which has emerged as a major cause of concern for the agriculture sector of the country.

As per the statistics, approximately 1.35 hectares of coconut and oil palm in India are affected by whiteflies. It also seriously impedes the ability of farms to process cotton harvests. In a candid conversation with The Quotes, Mr. Dipak Patel, Product Development Head, GSP Crop Science spoke at length about the significance of the SLR 525 SE Formulation and how it will be a game changer for the farmers in their quest to beat whiteflies. Excerpts of the conversation.

GSP Crop Science has secured the patent of SLR 525-SE, kindly explain to our readers how grave the presence of whiteflies is for the farmers and how SLR 525-SE?

Whitefly is polyphagous (multi host crops) pests, it can cause damage to many important crops in India and global like; cotton, chilli, vegetables. Beside sucking the plant sap/ jiuce, its works as vector for many virus diseases, which is very much damaging to crop. For example, Cotton Leaf curl virus, Chilli Leaf curl virus etc. SLR 525 is a unique product which provides solution for whitefly. It controls all the stages of whitefly like eggs, nymphs, pupa and adults.

GSP Crop Science is the first Indian company that has won the patent of the product, kindly help us understand since when GSP Crop is working behind SLR 525-SE and how challenging the process of securing the patent was?

The SLR 525 project was conceptualized back in 2011, when we had started the manufacturing of Diafenthiuron. We had experienced that farmers are facing the problems with whitefly infestations in cotton crop. Farmers have to spray frequently in the field for whitefly control. We had tested SLR 525 in field and found as best for whitefly control. We had started process for patent and registration data generations. Few competitors tried to stop us in many ways, in field as well as in patent process, but ultimately, we secured SLR 525 patent on merit basis.

As GSP Crop Science has claimed that SLR 525-SE is a game changer, kindly explain the benefits and significance of the SLR 525-SE?

SLR 525 SE will be a breather for farmers who are facing the menace of whitefly. Whitefly is infesting many crops like cotton which is sown in approx. 12 million hectares mainly in North India (Haryana, Punjab, North Rajasthan), Western India (Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh), South India (Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh).

Chilli is sown approx. in 1 million hectares in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Farmers apply multiple application so there is a huge potential for SLR 525 SE and will provide excellent solution to farmers in cotton, chilli, tomato and other vegetable crops.

Helps our readers to understand how farmers will be able to procure the product and what are your expectations?

We have a strong technical team in the field to educate the farmers on products use, application and how it will help them to deal with whiteflies. SLR 525 is already very popular among the farmers. We expect the farmers to produce more per unit area with the help of SLR 525.

As GSP Crop Science is leading the agrochemical industry in India, what was the motivation and inspiration towards the creation of SLR 525-SE?

The key inspiration behind working such a unique innovation is to provide solution to the farmers. We understand the present-day problems of the farmers in our country and have a strong R&D Team, which continuously monitoring the issues of the farmers and identifying them. We work very closely with the farmers in order to invent products which would eventually ease the cultivation of crops for farmers.