Research & Development

Crop-stage bio-stimulant formulation platform

A seed-to-harvest framework with a dedicated R&D workbook for each crop stage - rooting, transplanting, vegetative growth, flower induction and retention, fruit set, fruit development, enlargement, finish quality and maturity. Each stage links plant physiology to product concepts, manufacturing steps, QC parameters and a field-validation plan.

• Stage-specific concentrates instead of one universal mix
• Grower formulation master covering 7 crop groups, 50 crops and 12 growth stages
• Batch-scaling (10-200 L) and field-dose calculators
• Stage combo-pack design across soil health, plant nutrition, resilience and bio-stimulant roles

Crops: Horticulture, fruit, flower, plantation and nursery crops

Mixed-formulation prototype development

A range of seaweed, humic/fulvic and amino-acid based prototypes - for seed treatment, transplant establishment, rooting, shoot growth, Brix and fruit finish - each reviewed for chemical stability, ingredient compatibility and regulatory fit, and mapped to its FCO Schedule VI category.

• Stability screening, e.g. humic flocculation at low pH and calcium-phosphate / sulphate incompatibility
• Plant growth regulators kept out of bio-stimulant products to stay within FCO Schedule VI
• Priority-product shortlist with manufacturing SOPs for scale-up
• Consolidated register of gazetted Schedule VI specifications and an in-house compliance checker

Cardamom crop-system programme

Our most developed crop programme, built for small cardamom on the acidic, high-rainfall soils of the Western Ghats. It covers soil-constraint strategy (magnesium, sulphur, zinc and boron deficiency, acidity and leaching), stage-wise seaweed-based liquid prototypes, compatibility rules, QC specifications and field crew cards.

• Seven stage-specific liquid prototypes for the cardamom cycle
• Panicle and capsule development study (PGR work kept in a separate, registration-led track)
• Agronomy-first guidance: planting material, shade and crop health before nutrition
• Batch cost calculator and inventory-linked formulation master

Crops: Small cardamom (Idukki / Malnad belts)

Flower, grape and coconut programmes

Crop programmes for high-value South Indian crops: a two-product, PGR-free flower induction and bud-retention system for jasmine and rose; a fragrance-crop field programme for extraction-grade jasmine, tuberose and rose; a protein-hydrolysate programme for one pruning-to-harvest cycle of Muscat grape in the Cumbum-Theni belt; and a root-feeding concept for coconut.

• Crop-cycle schedules and laminated field cards
• Clear separation of label claims from technical assessments

Crops: Jasmine, rose, tuberose, grape, coconut

Pest and disease management research

A prevention-first, integrated crop-health approach: strong plant health through nutrition and bio-stimulants first, then botanicals and minerals, then biologicals - with conventional chemistry only through licensed partners. This knowledge base supports IPM advisory and future registration-led product development.

• Botanical master of 105 plant sources with actives, target organisms and extraction routes
• Tamil Nadu horticulture pest library across six agro-climatic zones and a plant-disease / IPDM workbook
• Research portal indexing 847 pest species, 180 diseases, 105 botanicals and 35 biocontrol agents
• Resistance-management mapping (IRAC / FRAC / HRAC modes of action) - chemical vs biological options
• Preventive field toolkit: botanical oils, minerals such as kaolin and sulphur, traps, barriers and defence primers by crop stage
• Crop focus includes cardamom thrips and katte virus, cotton pink bollworm and whitefly, tomato Tuta absoluta and wilts, banana Sigatoka, coconut rugose spiralling whitefly, mango hopper and anthracnose, mites and powdery mildew

Crops: Cardamom, cotton, tomato, banana, coconut, mango, vegetables

Microbial and yeast biologicals

A Microbial Intelligence Engine - a decision-support tool covering Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Beauveria, Metarhizium, Lecanicillium, Bt and NPV organisms - with crop-microbe mapping, climate suitability, tank-mix compatibility and rotation checks. A parallel yeast programme defines development streams for root activation, phosphorus mobilisation, stress resilience and cell-free metabolite bio-stimulants.

• Crop-microbe mapping for tomato, chilli, cabbage, cotton, rice, maize, sugarcane and coconut
• Cell-free yeast metabolites as a next-generation bio-stimulant concept

Formulation science and specialty nutrition

Core formulation technology that underpins product quality: emulsifier and HLB systems (including neem and karanja oil emulsions), thickeners, solvents, pH buffering and preservation; PGR chemistry and natural alternatives; botanical feedstocks such as tamarind fractions; and micronutrient chelation, water-soluble fertiliser grade design and nano-nutrient feasibility.

• Formulation masterclass of 18 modules for the technical team
• PGR chemistry and agronomy master covering 67 compounds
• Chelated micronutrient dossier and nutrient formulation lab with 24 starting formulations and 8 calculators
• Water-soluble NPK grade formulation calculator

Quality control and analytical capability

QC methods aligned to FCO Schedule VI and BIS test procedures, with an in-house analytical laboratory being set up around an atomic absorption spectrometer (ELICO SL-168) and a visible spectrophotometer (ELICO SL-177).

• Humic and fulvic acid, amino acids (formol / ninhydrin, HPLC), alginic acid and mannitol, Kjeldahl nitrogen
• Moisture, ash, solubility, heavy metals by AAS / ICP and microbial CFU counts
• Incoming raw-material qualification to detect dilution or mineral loading
• COA templates, sampling plans and specification tolerances

Research agenda

Planned research platforms include spray-water chemistry as a master variable for product performance, soil-temperature effects on microbial products, sap-analysis reference ranges for tropical crops and nutrient form vs disease severity. Our first protocol - on how water chemistry in Tamil Nadu and Kerala affects the stability of actives, chelates and microbes - is designed as a 26-week study with an accredited (NABL) laboratory partner.

• Mother-baby field-trial design with untreated checks
• Partners welcome for co-development and replicated trials