CIB&RC · Insecticides Act, 1968
Bio-Pesticide Registration in India (CIB&RC)
Microbial, viral and botanical products that control pests or diseases are bio-pesticides — registered with the CIB&RC under the Insecticides Act, 1968. We build these files around the evidence that actually decides them: strain identity, viable count, and shelf-life stability.
- Microbial, viral and botanical bio-pesticide registration
- Strain identity, viable count and contamination control
- Bio-efficacy against the exact target claimed
- Shelf-life and storage-stability data under Indian conditions
Bio-pesticides — microbial (bacteria, fungi, viruses), botanical and other biological products that control pests or diseases — are registered with the CIB&RC under the Insecticides Act, 1968. Unlike chemical pesticides, these files turn on strain identity and characterisation, guaranteed viable count, freedom from contaminants, and shelf-life stability. A biological fungicide for plant disease control is a bio-pesticide and follows this route, not the FCO.
Why biologicals fail differently
Living products, judged on living evidence
A chemical file is judged on a fixed molecule. A bio-pesticide is a living or naturally-derived product, so the regulator asks different questions — is the strain correctly identified, is it viable in the pack, is it free of contaminants, and does it stay that way on the shelf?
Strain identity & characterisation
Correct taxonomic identification and characterisation of the microbial strain — the foundation the whole file stands on.
Viable count & purity
A guaranteed viable count (CFU/ml or CFU/g) and freedom from human pathogens and contaminants.
Bio-efficacy
Field trials proving control of the exact target pest or disease claimed, under Indian agro-climatic conditions.
Shelf-life stability
Storage-stability data showing the viable count holds through the claimed shelf life — where biological files most often stumble.
Toxicology package
The safety data appropriate to the organism and route, proportionate to a biological rather than a synthetic chemical.
Route & category
Confirming the correct Section 9 route and category, and whether provisional 9(3B) registration is available.
Types we handle
Microbial, botanical and biochemical
- Microbial bio-pesticides — bacteria, fungi and viruses such as Bacillus, Trichoderma, Beauveria, Metarhizium, NPV and others, for insect and disease control.
- Botanical bio-pesticides — plant-derived actives such as neem-based products.
- Biological fungicides — biocontrol agents targeting plant pathogens; these remain CIB&RC bio-pesticides because the claim is disease control.
Each type carries its own evidence emphasis, but all share the biological core: identity, viability, purity and stability. Getting these right at the design stage is what keeps a file moving.
Answers
Bio-pesticide registration, answered
Are bio-pesticides registered with CIB&RC or FCO?
Bio-pesticides are registered with the CIB&RC under the Insecticides Act, 1968, because they make a pest- or disease-control claim. The FCO covers fertilisers and bio-stimulants, not pest control.
Is a biological fungicide a bio-pesticide or a bio-stimulant?
A biological fungicide controls plant disease, so it is a bio-pesticide under the Insecticides Act and is registered with the CIB&RC — not a bio-stimulant under the FCO. The control claim decides the regime.
What data decides a bio-pesticide registration?
Strain identity and characterisation, a guaranteed viable count, freedom from contaminants and human pathogens, bio-efficacy against the exact target claimed, and shelf-life stability showing the viable count holds through the claimed shelf life.
Why do bio-pesticide files get delayed?
Most often on the biological fundamentals — incomplete strain characterisation, viable counts that fall over the shelf life, or contamination — rather than on the chemistry that dominates a synthetic file. Designing for these from the start avoids the common delays.
Can bio-pesticides use the Section 9(4) me-too route?
Where an identical biological product is already registered, a comparative route may be available, but source and strain equivalence for a living product is more complex than for a chemical. We assess this case by case.