India’s First Indigenous Insecticide Molecule Pioxaniliprole Gets Regulatory Approval

PI Industries Ltd’s Pioxaniliprole, India’s first indigenously discovered insecticide molecule, has received approval from the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) for use on rice, chilli, tomato and chickpea crops. The approval follows regulatory assessments and multi-location field trials evaluating its effectiveness and safety.

The company plans to introduce the molecule under the trade name ‘Pioxazon’ during the upcoming Rabi (winter-spring) crop season. The development marks a significant step in strengthening India’s domestic agrochemical research and reducing dependence on innovations from foreign manufacturers.

Pioxaniliprole belongs to the anthranilic diamide class of insecticides and is designed primarily to control caterpillar-type agricultural pests. It is effective against several major crop-damaging insects, including yellow stem borer, leaf folder, fall armyworm, tobacco cutworm, fruit borer and pod borer. It is registered as a 20 per cent weight-by-volume suspension concentrate formulation.

How Pioxaniliprole Works and India’s Insecticide Regulatory Framework

The insecticide works by targeting ryanodine receptors (RyRs), specialised protein channels present in insect muscle cells. These receptors regulate the release of calcium ions, which are essential for normal muscle contraction and relaxation. By disrupting their functioning, Pioxaniliprole triggers an uncontrolled release of calcium ions, resulting in feeding cessation, lethargy, muscle paralysis and eventually the death of the insect.

In India, insecticides are regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968, and the Insecticides Rules, 1971. The framework governs their import, manufacture, sale, distribution and use to safeguard human and animal health.

The CIBRC functions under the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It comprises two statutory bodies: the Central Insecticides Board, which advises governments on technical and safety matters, and the Registration Committee, which examines insecticide formulations and verifies their efficacy and safety before granting registration.

The indigenous development of Pioxaniliprole highlights India's growing research capabilities and potential to develop proprietary crop-protection technologies.