DESC:The present disclosure provides a pesticide formulation for coffee and tea plantations. In particular, the present disclosure provides a pesticide formulation for controlling Coffee White Stem Borer (CWSB) infestation in coffee and tea plantations and a method of preparation thereof.

BACKGROUND
Coffee production is the backbone of the economy of many developing countries in the tropics, and it ranks among the most valuable agricultural commodities in the world. Two species of coffee, arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre), are cultivated on a commercial scale.
Several insect species have been recorded as pests of coffee plantations in Asian countries. Coffee white stem borer (Xylotrechus quadripes) is a menace in coffee estate specifically, for Arabica type of coffee plantation. The insect has a year-long life cycle of which nearly 80% is inside the plant. The phases, where this insect is out of the plant is in the adult phase (nearly 3 weeks life time) during which mating happens and the female lays as many as hundreds of eggs on the rough surfaces of the stems of the Arabica coffee. The eggs emerge into first instars in about 11 days which then start eating the bark and make inroad into the stem of the plant creating ridges. The circular path initially traced leads into a vertical downward movement of the insect for the next 8 months or more where they develop into an adult. With the faeces becoming a packing material for the path traced, the insect is, in fact, protected from both the ends and is therefore safe from any external stimuli. CWSB larvae produce galleries in the main stem and primary branches. CWSB larvae sometimes tunnel their way into the main root. After tunneling by a larva, under the bark region for about 2 months, a ridge develops on the surface of the stem, which is as an external symptom of borer attack. Consequently, the damaged plant withers, showing yellowing and wilting symptoms. Larvae tunnel in all directions in the stem, and each larva tunnels separately without interfering with the other. The severity of damage depends on the size of the larval population. An exit hole in the stem indicates the completion of the life cycle of the pest. It is found that about 84% of adults emerge from the main stem and 16% from the roots. Some infested plants survive for a long period, but produce empty fruits.
General practice recommended to avoid CWSB attack is to enable enough shading, wrapping the stems of coffee plant, lime coating, pheromone traps, rubbing the bark and smoothening the stem, and use of chloropyriphos as a pesticide. However, inspite of all these efforts, the menace of CWSB has not come under control.
Shading can provide a bigger impact on the insect population but it is not a fool proof method to control CWSB. Wrapping the major primary and the main stem of the Arabica coffee plant will prevent the CWSB from laying eggs if the wrapping is absolutely well done. This is seen as a very effective way of preventing the insect fecundity on the plant. However, even if there is scope for one insect to access the stem through the wrapper, it becomes absolutely impossible to trace the extent of damage as monitoring is not possible due to the blocking wrap.
Rubbing the barks to remove the crevices is considered one of the effective methods for preventing the adult from laying the eggs on the stems. This is considered effective only if the infestation levels are low and the extent to which smoothening happens. However, even this method is not a fool proof method for pest control. Further, the rubbed barks make the plant susceptible for other infections.
Pheromone traps are used to trap one sex type of the CWSB. Since mating of white stem borers is a complicated process, pheromone traps is considered as one that has limited potential to control CWSB population.
As regards chemical pesticides, laboratory trials show that chlorpyriphos is more effective against eggs, while carbosulfan is more effective against the fifth-instar larvae, and a combination of chlorpyriphos and carbosulfan is effective against adults. Chlorpyriphos is more effective and less hazardous and is recommended for stem application during the peak emergence periods of CWSB. Such chemical pesticides are not biodegradable and environment friendly.
Applying lime on the ridges and crevices of the stem is one of the effective ways of preventing the eggs from being laid on the stems (since gaps and crevices are the place for egg laying by the adult). The high alkaline nature of lime prevents eggs from hatching and therefore prevents the CWSB population. In practice, since lime is not dispersible, it has to be mechanically applied with the help of a brush scrubbing through every part of the stem. Therefore, it is a labor intensive job and difficult to be considered as an effective estate practice.
Thus, there is a need for a formulation for controlling pests, specifically for coffee, which is inexpensive, easily dispersible/ emulsifiable and also does not suffer from the disadvantages of existing methods; and chemical toxicity to humans and the environment.

SUMMARY
A pesticide formulation is disclosed. The pesticide formulation comprises an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil; an organic solvent; and a surfactant; wherein the essential oil mixture has cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil are in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4: 1 to 2: 1 to 2.
A method of preparing a pesticide formulation is also disclosed. The method comprises preparing an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2; adding a surfactant to an organic solvent with continuous stirring to obtain a mixture; and adding essential oil mixture to the mixture having surfactant, with continuous stirring to form a stable emulsion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the disclosed composition, and such further applications of the principles of the invention therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” “an embodiment” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
The present disclosure provides a pesticide formulation for controlling CWSB (pest/ insect) infestation in coffee plantations. In particular, the present disclosure provides a pesticide formulation for controlling CWSB infestation in coffee plantations comprising an essential oil mixture having cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil; an organic solvent; and a surfactant.
In accordance with an embodiment, the essential oil mixture comprises cashew nut shell oil, neem oil, and orange oil in a concentration ratio range of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2 (w/w). By way of an example, the essential oil mixture comprises cashew nut shell oil, neem oil, and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 3:1:1 (w/w).
In accordance with an embodiment, the essential oil mixture comprises about 2 to 8 weight percent of the formulation.
In accordance with an embodiment, the pesticide formulation targets the adult pest and its eggs. The pesticide formulation comprises an ovicide, an insecticide and a repeller of the adult pest.
Cashew nut shell oil is an important agricultural by-product rich in lipophilic phenols. It also comprises of anacardic acid, cardol and cardanols. Cashew nut shell oil contains phenols and phenolic acids with varied degrees of unsaturation in the lipophilic chain. It is generally known that phenols act as an insecticide. Phenols are ubiquitous in nature and there are many plant species able to generate these secondary metabolites as powerful defence tools. Though polyphenols occur in many plant species, limited numbers of phenols are lipophilic. Due to the presence of lipophilic phenols, a water dispersible formulation can be prepared. Cashew nut shell liquid with anacardic acid content varying from 40-80%, more specifically, with 60% was considered. Presence of anacardic acid was necessitated since anacardic acids are known to perform a wide range of biological activities. Further, presence of cardol and cardanols enhances the phenolic character of the pesticide formulation and plays a vital role in their dispersion behaviour.
Neem oil (or neem kernel oil) contains many tetranortriterpinoids that are good ovicidals. Neem oil also contains Azadirachtin which is one of the chief components responsible for the biological action.
Orange oil contains limonene and is a good natural material for repelling insects. It contains monoterpenes in high amounts, being volatile, enables easy dispersion of the active ingredient vapors in the region of application to divert the insect due to diffusion effects. Lower sun light and shaded regions enhance the chances of these chemicals being richly available at the point of application and serve as a concentrates to repel the insects.
In accordance with an embodiment, the pesticide formulation is in the form of a sprayable solution. In accordance with an embodiment, the pesticide formulation is in the form of a water dispersible emulsified solution. In accordance with an embodiment, the pesticide formulation is in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate (EC). In accordance with an embodiment the pesticide formulation can be applied directly on plants’ stem or through spray means.
In accordance with an embodiment, the surfactant is selected from non-ionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s), anionic surfactant(s) and combinations thereof. By way of an example, surfactant is a combination of Soprophor 796 P, Rhodacal 60 BE/R and N-methylpyrrolidone. Surfactants are utilized to obtain high emulsion concentrates. In accordance with an embodiment, the formulation is a 5% emulsion concentrate. By way of an example, 1L of the formulation was dispersed in 200L of water and was utilized at a volume of nearly 600L per hectare.
In accordance with an embodiment, the surfactant is in a concentration of about 5 to 15 weight percent of the formulation.
In accordance with an embodiment, the organic solvent is selected from xylene, toluene, benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl, benzene, 1,3,5-trimethyl, benzene, ethylmethyl (ethyltoluene mixed isomers), solvent naphtha, (petroleum), light aromatic and mixtures thereof. By way of an example, the organic solvent is C9 solvent.
The present disclosure also provides a method of preparation of the above disclosed pesticide formulation. Further, the present disclosure provides a method of application of the above disclosed formulation to coffee plantations.
The method of preparing a pesticide formulation comprises preparing an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2; adding a surfactant to an organic solvent with continuous stirring to obtain a mixture; and adding essential oil mixture to the mixture having surfactant, with continuous stirring to form a stable emulsion.
In accordance with an embodiment, the method further comprises filtering the emulsion obtained by adding essential oil mixture to the mixture having surfactant.
In accordance with an embodiment, the method further comprises diluting the pesticide formulation with distilled water to obtain a water dispersible emulsified solution.
In accordance with an embodiment, the essential oil mixture is added in a concentration of 2 to 8 weight percent of the formulation.
In accordance with an embodiment, the surfactant is selected from non-ionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s), anionic surfactant(s) and combinations thereof. By way of an example, surfactant is a combination of Soprophor 796 P, Rhodacal 60 BE/R and N-methylpyrrolidone. Surfactants are utilized to obtain high emulsion concentrates.
In accordance with an embodiment, the surfactant is added in a concentration of about 5 to 15 weight percent of the formulation.
In accordance with an embodiment, the organic solvent is selected from xylene, toluene, benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl, benzene, 1,3,5-trimethyl, benzene, ethylmethyl (ethyltoluene mixed isomers), solvent naphtha, (petroleum), light aromatic or mixtures thereof. By way of an example, the organic solvent is C9 solvent.
EXAMPLES
Example 1:
The following table provides comparative data as regards application of the present formulation and the chemical pesticide (chlorpyriphos). Borer/ha indicates the number of plants infected with borers in 1 hectare of plantation and TOTAL uprooted implies number of plants removed (uprooted) because of borer attack. Further, % indicates percentage of plants uprooted. Each round of tracing (inspection of the plantation) extends to nearly two months and there are 5 or 6 rounds in a year.

Table 1:

Example 2:
Trial against CWSB during 2016/’17
CWSB Emergence season of adults of the borer is known as flight period. There are two peak flight periods i.e., one from April to May ie. Summer Flight period, which is short and the other from October to December ie. winter flight period, which is extended due to prevailing dry weather. However, emergence of beetles in small numbers are recorded during other months also. Cloudy and wet weather conditions delay the emergence of the beetles by a week or two.

ESTATE NAME Present Pesticide Formulation
Area Sprayed (ha) Date of Spray
SUNTICOPPA
(North Coorg) Block -10 (5.0 Ha) 11.04.2016
JUMBOOR
(North Coorg) Block – 6
(6.0 Ha) 05.04.2016 to 09.04.2016
UBBAN (Bhagya)
(Sakleshpur) Block -06 (5.5 Ha) 04.05.2016 to 07.05.2016
TOTAL 16.50 Ha

Dosage of the pesticide formulation @ 1 litre + 100 ml. wetting agent per barrel.
White stem borer is annual pest i.e. it will take ~ 1 year to complete the life cycle from Egg-Larva-Pupa-Adult. However, the treatment imposed during the winter flight period-2015: Observation will be continued till next winter flight period-2016. The treatment imposed during the summer flight period-2016: Observation will be continued till next summer flight period-2017.

Manual tracing: The WSB attacked plants can be easily detected by the presence of ridges on the generally smooth surface of the stem, which develops as a result of the feeding by the grub on the bark. The hatched out grub feed on the corky portion just under the bark for about 2 months and consequently the bark splits and appear as ridges on the stem. Later the larvae enters the main stem and spends rest of the life till it pupates and emerge as adult.

The process of monitoring the ridges made by the WSB larvae on the main stem and thick primaries is called as tracing which is carried out manually from plant to plant. Hence, tracing is an important cultural operation which is carried out round the year for identifying the infested stem, uprooting and destroying to eliminate the emergence of the adult. It is represented as borer infested plant uproot and destroyed, the data is given as borer per hectare. (i.e. borer/ha).
Thorough tracing is carried out mainly prior to the flight periods and during the flight periods, to avoid the re-infestation from the adult beetle.
To have systematic monitoring system, the following tracing period is formulated -
Period of Tracing:
• 1st Round Tracing (10th Feb -2016 to 10th April-2016) - Borer/ha.
• 2nd Round Tracing (11th April-2016 to 10th June-2016) - Borer/ha.
• 3rd Round Tracing (11th June-2016 to 20th Aug.-2016) - Borer/ha.
• 4th Round Tracing (21st Aug.-2016 to 10th Oct.-2016) - Borer/ha.
• 5th Round Tracing (11th Oct. -2016 to 10th Dec.-2016) - Borer/ha.
• 6th Round Tracing (11th Dec.-2016 to 9th Feb.-2017) - Borer/ha.
RESEARCH PROJECT ON WSB - Borer Tracing Details for the season-2016 (till 13.09.2016)
Time of treatment imposing winter flight-2015 (from 3rd week of Oct. to 4th week of Dec. -2015) and summer flight-2016 (1st week of May - 1st week of June-2016)

Bhagya Division – Ubban Estate (borer/ha.)
Sl. No. Treatment - Details Area of Trial 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round 4th Round Total
Block & Area in ha.
Borer /ha. Borer/ha. Borer/ha. Borer/ha. Borer/ha.
1 Present Formulation 6 – 5.5 Ha. 11 31 103 10 155
2 Manual tracing 6 – 8.2 Ha. 13 31 116 In progress 160
In the observation table (Table 2-4 below) manual tracing is control plot i.e., unsprayed area (None of the chemical/insecticide is applied).
Table 2:

Table 3:
RESEARCH PROJECT ON WSB - Borer Tracing Details for the season-2016 (till 13.09.2016)
Time of treatment imposing winter flight-2015 (from 3rd week of Oct. to 4th week of Dec. -2015) and summer flight-2016 (1st week of May - 1st week of June-2016)
Suntikoppa Estate (borer/ha.)
Sl. No. Area of Trial 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round 4th Round Total
Treatment - Details Block & Area in ha.
Borer/ha. Borer/ha. Borer/ha. Borer/ha. Borer/ha.
1 Present Formulation Block - 10, 05.0 ha 2 13 20 In progress 35
2 Manual tracing Block - 10, 05.0 ha 2 24 26 In progress 52

Table 4:
RESEARCH PROJECT ON WSB - Borer Tracing Details for the season-2016 (till 13.09.2016)
Time of treatment imposing winter flight-2015 (from 3rd week of Oct. to 4th week of Dec. -2015) and summer flight-2016 (1st week of May - 1st week of June-2016)
New Line Division - Jumboor Estate
Sl.No Area of Trial 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round 4th Round** Total
Treatment - Details Block & Area in ha.
Borer/ha Borer/ha Borer/ha Borer/ha Borer/ha.
1 Present Formulation Block - 6, 11.10 ha. 0.36 10 58 In progress 68
2 Manual tracing Block - 02, 16.30 ha. 0.70 9 45 In progress 54
Example 3:
Experiment Name: Preparation of foliar formulation for Tea and Coffee plantations (North and South region)
Date of Experiment: 20 Oct 2015
Target Pest: WSB
Chemicals: Neem oil, Orange oil, CNSL, Soprophor 796P, Rhodacal 60 BE/R, N-Methyl Pryolidone, C9 Solvent and Processed water
Procedure:
A) Preparation of essential oil mixture
1) Taken 15 Kg CNSL, 5 Kg Orange oil and 5 Kg Neem oil (Ratio of CNSL: Orange oil and Neem Oil should be 3:1:1)
2) Mixed them properly for 30 min at room temperature by using stirrer at 200 rpm.
B) Preparation of present formulation
3) Charge solvent C9 in the reactor and started the agitator with 50 rpm.
4) Transferred N-Methyl Pyrolidone and mixed for 5 minutes.
5) Transferred Soprophor 796 P OR Noigen AB-90 and mixed for 15 minutes.
6) Transferred Rhodocal 60 BE/R OR CABS-70 and mixed for 15 minutes.
7) Transferred the essential oil mixture and mixed for 30 minutes to ensure homogeneous mixing.
8) Filtered the formulation (if required).
9) Send the sample to QC for approval.
10) After QA approval pack the sample in suitable containers.

Name of RAW MATERIAL Quantity in Kgs required for 1000 Kg Quantity in Kgs required for 500 Kg Quantity in Litters required for 500 Kg Density of RAW MATERIAL

Essential oil mixture 50 kg 25 kg 25 kg Not applicable
Soprophor 796 P OR
Noigen AB-90 72 kg 36 kg 33.02 lit 1.09
Rhodacal 60 BE/R OR
CABS-70 28 kg 14 kg 14.28 lit 0.98
N-Methyl Pyrolidone 75 kg 37.5 kg 36.40 lit 1.03
Solvent C9 775 kg 387.5 kg 445.40 lit 0.87

Dose Application: 1 litre of present formulation diluted to 200 lts. with water and applied.
SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS ARE DISCLOSED BELOW
A pesticide formulation comprising an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil; an organic solvent; and a surfactant; wherein the essential oil mixture has cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil are in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2.
Such pesticide formulation(s), wherein the essential oil mixture has cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 3:1:1.
Such pesticide formulation(s), wherein the essential oil mixture comprises about 2 to 8 weight percent of the formulation.
Such pesticide formulation(s), wherein surfactant is selected from non-ionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s), anionic surfactant(s) and combinations thereof.
Such pesticide formulation(s), wherein the formulation is any one of an emulsifiable concentrate or a water dispersible emulsified solution.
Such pesticide formulation(s), wherein the surfactant is in a concentration of about 5 to 15 weight percent of the formulation.
FURTHER SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS ARE DISCLOSED BELOW
A method of preparing a pesticide formulation comprising preparing an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2; adding a surfactant to an organic solvent with continuous stirring to obtain a mixture; and adding essential oil mixture to the mixture having surfactant, with continuous stirring to form a stable emulsion.
Such method(s), further comprising diluting the formulation with distilled water to obtain a water dispersible emulsified solution.
Such method(s), wherein the essential oil mixture is added in a concentration of 2 to 8 weight percent of the formulation.
Such method(s), wherein surfactant is selected from non-ionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s), anionic surfactant(s) and combinations thereof.
Such method(s), wherein the surfactant is added in a concentration of 5 to 15 weight percent of the formulation.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The disclosed pesticide formulation comprises natural active ingredients. It is biodegradable, environmental-friendly and economical. The formulation provides promising bio-efficacy results against CWSB infestation in coffee plantations. The present disclosure provides a water dispersible sprayable formulation for an easy application to coffee plantation. Use of the disclosed formulation provides a sustainable way of controlling the CWSB attack and significantly brings down the CWSB attack on the coffee plantation. ,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A pesticide formulation comprising:
an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil;
an organic solvent; and
a surfactant;
wherein the essential oil mixture has cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil are in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2.

2. A pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the essential oil mixture has cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 3:1:1.

3. A pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the essential oil mixture comprises about 2 to 8 weight percent of the formulation.

4. A pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein surfactant is selected from non-ionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s), anionic surfactant(s) and combinations thereof.

5. A pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the formulation is any one of an emulsifiable concentrate or a water dispersible emulsified solution.

6. A pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surfactant is in a concentration of about 5 to 15 weight percent of the formulation.

7. A method of preparing a pesticide formulation comprising:
preparing an essential oil mixture comprising cashew nut shell oil, neem oil and orange oil in a concentration ratio of 2 to 4 : 1 to 2 : 1 to 2;
adding a surfactant to an organic solvent with continuous stirring to obtain a mixture; and
adding essential oil mixture to the mixture having surfactant, with continuous stirring to form a stable emulsion.
.
8. A method of preparing a pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 7, further comprising diluting the formulation with distilled water to obtain a water dispersible emulsified solution.

9. A method of preparing a pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 7, wherein the essential oil mixture is added in a concentration of 2 to 8 weight percent of the formulation.

10. A method of preparing a pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 7, wherein surfactant is selected from non-ionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s), anionic surfactant(s) and combinations thereof.

11. A method of preparing a pesticide formulation as claimed in claim 7, wherein the surfactant is added in a concentration of 5 to 15 weight percent of the formulation.

Dated this 28th day of September, 2015

Essenese Obhan
Of Obhan & Associates
Agent for the Applicant
Patent Agent No. 864