Sasya Rakshak

The problems caused by the synthetic chemical pesticides and their residues have led to the need for equally effective but biodegradable natural origin pesticides. Alternative strategies have included the search for new sources of pesticides, and the re-evaluation and use of traditional botanical pest control agents. Botanicals are relatively specific in their mode of action and also easy to process and use. Procedures have been developed to incorporate and integrate the botanicals, in different crop environments and field efficacies have been successfully demonstrated. When used as a fundamental component of IPM (Integrated Pest management) programs, botanicals can greatly decrease the use of conventional pesticides and can keep the crop yields high.

The non-pesticidal approach is now mostly through neem-based pesticides, but neem alone has certain intrinsic issues. In the process of extraction and in the process of targeting Azadirachtin as active ingredient, certain important potentiating factors of neem are compromised. This apart  certain factors are lost due to application of heat in the extraction process using neem seeds and protection after spray is not satisfactory.

In the traditional agricultural systems, the practice of using aqueous botanical combinations exists. The purpose here is to use various factors from plant sources to manage crop pests, more correctly to protect the plants. However, the botanical extracts need to be freshly prepared and used quickly as many metabolites are not stable in aqueous medium. Scientific efforts are required to stabilize the metabolites through proper formulation methods, to increase the shelf life of active ingredients. SasyaRakshak is a unique water-soluble product developed by Biological Research Innovation Centre and Solutions LLP (BRICS LLP) after continuous and committed research efforts, bearing in mind many lacunae of botanicals in plant protection.  The precursor for rethinking is to build on the traditional knowledge and with strong scientific principles, but to provide a right alternative to gardeners and farmers, who otherwise opt for readily available chemicals under no choice conditions.

What is SasyaRakshak^TM?
SasyaRakshak is a plant protectant, a water-soluble botanical combination containing many constituents from Neem, Lantana, Vitex, Vinca, Calotropis, Adhatoda, Sweetflag, Nerium, Basil and Basella plants, which are known and proved for their activity against plant feeding insects and plant pathogens. The botanical concoction is developed visualizing multiple or overlapping pest incidence situation and to get stable, wide spectrum, natural origin botanical pesticide to combat different types of crop pests, thus reducing reliability on hazardous chemical pesticides.

How SasyaRakshak^TM works on plant pests?
SasyaRakshak is a unique botanical combination where in, it should work against both sucking (mealy bugs, aphids, thrips, plant hoppers, leaf hoppers, whiteflies, scales, mites, bugs) and chewing type of insects (caterpillars, weevils, beetles, etc ). SasyaRakshak, being water soluble, can enter the plant system through both aerial and underground plant parts and thus is systemic in action against sap sucking insects. It spreads and deposit nicely on the surface and thus can get into the insect gut on chewing, and hinders further growth and development. Entry of SasyaRakshak in to the insect body is a must to cause the death and deformities in insect stages. Due to its multiple modes of action, SasyaRakshak can protect the crop plants from both sucking as well as chewing type of insects.

What are the ingredients in SasyaRakshak?
SasyaRakshak is unique botanical combination developed using aqueous extract from ten different plants with proven pesticidal ability against crop pests.  The product does not contain any harmful chemical constituents in it. Different plant parts such as leaf, stem, roots etc. are used in extraction. A mixture of soapnut and shikakai functions as spreader in the formulation.

How to apply SasyaRakshak against plant pests?
SasyaRakshak is applied as aerial spray or on above ground plant parts at a dosage of 5-10 ml per liter of water, depending on crop stage and pest incidence situation. As a precautionary spray against variety of pests, SasyaRakshak is effective at 5ml per liter at 7-10 days interval, but under severe pest infestation situations, spraying 10ml per liter at weekly intervals provides desired plant protection. Aerial spray should nicely cover the crop plants. Sandwiching along with other biopesticides and botanical plant protectants like NeemShakti will enhance the efficacy.

How long does the effect of SasyaRakshak last?
SasyaRakshak contains highly biodegradable natural ingredients and can persist and remain effective for 7-10 days only. The spray need to be repeated in 7-10 days interval for the desired effect or can be alternated with other pest management options,  such as Neem Seed Kernel Extract, Green chilli + Ginger + Garlic extract or NeemShakti or Biopesticides (Lecanicillium lecani, Beauveria bassiana ).

What are Physical and Chemical properties of SasyaRakshak?

What are USPs of SasyaRakshak?

• SasyaRakshak is completely water-soluble liquid formulation developed by combining bioactive principles from different botanicals with proven pest control abilities
• Wide spectrum effect and action against insect pests, particularly on both sucking and chewing types, due to combination of active ingredients
• Effective against fungal plant diseases powdery mildew, leafspots, fruit rots, etc

• Natural origin, safe to environment and non-targets
• Safe to use on food crops, flowering plants and fruit crops
• Useful in integrated pest management even in conventional agriculture.

Can SasyaRakshak be used against sucking pests?
SasyaRakshak is a specially designed concoction with water extracts from 10 different plants with proven pesticidal properties. Being water soluble, it can enter the plant system through both aerial and underground plant parts and thus is systemic in action against sap sucking insects. Sucking pests like mealybugs, aphids, thrips, whiteflies, scales, mites are difficult pests in gardening and are effectively managed by SasyaRakshak.

Can SasyaRakshak be effective on all crop pests?
SasyaRakshak with active principles from 10 different plants with proven pest control properties, can affect wide range of crop pests. However, its effect on soil inhabiting pests like termites, root grubs, etc., could not be ascertained.

I have fungal disease on my plants. Can we use SasyaRakshak as Fungicide on our plants?
Certain principles of plants used in SasyaRakshak have proven fungicidal properties. Being a water extract, SasyaRakshak can be systemic and thus effective on many plant pathogenic fungi preventing their infection, penetration and spread through aerial parts of the plants. It is particularly effective against few fungal diseases on plants such as leaf spots, mildews, sooty mold, fruit rot, etc.

I grow vegetables, fruit plants and flowering plants in my garden. Whether SasyaRakshak is useful in all these crops?
Yes, many gardens today are mix of different types of crops, including vegetables, flower crops, ornamentals and fruit types. SasyaRakshak is useful under multiple cropping, crop mixture, kitchen/terrace gardening situations as blanket spray, to protect against different pests (insect pests and fungal plant pathogens). The combination of active ingredients from plant sources in SasyaRakshak provide excellent protection to the crop plants against both the sucking (aphids, mealybugs, mites, thrips, hoppers and bugs) as well as biting insects (leaf miners, caterpillars, beetles, weevils) and foliar diseases like mildews, leafspots, sooty mould etc. This can be used in integrated pest management as preventive application.

How frequently SasyaRakshak is to be sprayed for good plant protection?
SasyaRakshak spray can have a persistence of 7-10 days and spray should be repeated in 7-10 days. As we say ‘Prevention is better than Cure’, being a systemic plant protectant, SasyaRakshak protects plants from pest infestation or infection. Pests are bound to come, it is important to keep the crop plants protected through periodic sprays with SasyaRakshak.

What is the best time or ways to spray SasyaRakshak?
SasyaRakshak is a aqueous formulation , any time of the day should be fine for spraying. Better to spray in the cool morning, so that better absorption happens from the plant parts and more effective. It mixes well in water and makes a uniform solution. The spray solution has to sprayed uniformly covering all parts of the plant, preferably with high volume sprayers. In case of battery operated or low volume sprayers, the concentration has to be adjusted as per the instruction manual.

Does SasyaRakshak mixes well with water or do I need to add any soap in to it?
SasyaRakshak is an aqueous formulation, no problems in mixing with water. No need to add any soap while mixing. Soap nut and shikakai mixture is added in the formulation as spreader.

Under what circumstances SasyaRakshak is very effective?
SasyaRakshak, or any natural origin or organic plant protectant for that matter, is to be seen as a ‘Plant Protection Formula’ than a ‘Pest Killing Formula’. In a typical ‘Pest Triangle’ situation, pest outbreak happens on weak plants (which are not nurtured properly) and when the conditions are suitable for the pests to multiply. In a pest outbreak situation, none of the natural origin or organic plant protectants work. Our aim is to keep the plants tolerant or protected so that pest outbreak do not occur.  Crop plants raised from big, bold seeds, with balanced and periodical nutrition, regular and sufficient watering, grown with sufficient light, etc., can sustain pest pressure to some extent and keep the pest numbers at check and keep them weak. SasyaRakshak is very useful to contain the pest population during active growth stages of the plants than at senescence. SasyaRakshak is very effective as blanket spray in multiple cropping situations, in terrace and kitchen gardens and during active crop growth stages.

I have 500 sq. ft garden and maintain 50 plants in it. Please guide me on quantity of spraying solution to be prepared for regular spray.
The quantity of spray solution required to cover the area or crop plants depends on the age, stage, plant population, type of crop plants, type of sprayer, etc. For SasyaRakshak to be very effective, complete coverage of plants and the concentration of spray liquid are crucial.  For instance, to take up  plant protection with SasyaRakshak with high volume sprayer (Manual, hand operated or backpack sprayers) in a 500 sq. ft. terrace garden/kitchen garden situation, with 200-250 containers/plants of  tomato/chilli/brinjal/bhendi/beans/ridge gourd/bitter gourd, etc., of 40-50 days old actively growing plants, 50 ml of SasyaRakshak in 10 liters of water is required. For an acre of field crop like cabbage, cauliflower with recommended plant population, 200 liters of spray solution and 1 liter of SasyaRakshak is required. For fruit trees like mango, sapota, guava, pomegranate, etc., of 5 years old plants in well maintained plantations, 2 liters of SasyaRakshak is required in about 400 liters of water. As the trees grow older and spread, the quantity of spray solution will be more.

How soon can we see the results (effects) of SasyaRakshak spray?
SasyaRakshak is to be used as preventive or protective spray, to be sprayed before the pest incidence to keep the plants tolerant for infestation or to keep the pest numbers under check. In case if sprayed on crop plants, where there is high infestation or infection, a minimum of 2-3 sprays are required at 5 ml per liter at 5-7 days interval witness the effect and pest free new growth. Spray has to be continued further depending on crop stage.

Whether SasyaRakshak is effective in poly-house and green house conditions?
SasyaRakshak is a systemic plant protectant, has wide spectrum of action and multiple modes of action against plant pests. In a poly house situation where the plants get uniform, suitable growth conditions, they grow profusely and strongly and generally pest will be weak. It is mostly sucking pests like aphids, whiteflies, mites which infest damage crop plants in poly house or green house situations. SasyaRakshak is very effective on actively growing plants in green or poly-houses and designed specifically to be systemic and manage sucking pests.

What happens if it rains after application of SasyaRakshak?
A heavy rain or downpour within 3-4 hours of SasyaRakshak will wash or dilute the effect of spray. The spray has to repeated for expected plant protection.

How safe is SasyaRakshak to be used in my Garden or on plants in backyard?
SasyaRakshak has only natural ingredients and falls in Category 5 as per the GHS (Globally Harmonized System) classification with oral or dermal LD50 value of more than 2000 mg/kg body weight. It is ‘non-irritant’ to skin or eyes. It is very safe for humans and there is no waiting period.

Whether SasyaRakshak is organic?
SasyaRakshak contains active principles from 10 different plants with proven pest control properties. It can not be termed as ‘Organic’ as it is still not certified, but all ingredients are of natural origin and organic certification is expected.