Vadodara: Every year, India celebrates record harvests. Warehouses overflow with wheat, pulses and seeds, and procurement agencies speak of bumper production. Yet far away from the headlines on food security, another battle quietly unfolds inside storage bins, seed godowns and grain warehouses — a battle against insects, fungal infestation and time itself.Scientists estimate that India loses nearly two million tonnes of pulses annually after harvest because of poor storage conditions and pest attacks. The losses are staggering: enough food to nutritionally support nearly 11 crore people annually. For farmers and seed handlers, the damage is not always visible at first. By the time infestation becomes obvious, entire stocks may already have lost quality, weight or even the ability to germinate.Now, researchers at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (ICAR-DMAPR) in Anand believe they may have found a low-cost and environmentally safer answer hidden in nature itself.The institute recently secured a patent for a herbal seed coating technology developed using food-grade polymers and essential oils extracted from plants such as neem, clove, cinnamon, lemongrass and palmarosa. Scientists say the coating protects stored grains and seeds from insects while preserving seed quality and germination.“What makes storage losses dangerous is that the damage is gradual and often invisible until it becomes severe,” said scientist Dr Ashwin Trivedi, who worked on the project. “Farmers, seed handlers and storage agencies may lose both grain quantity and seed viability during long-term storage.”The discovery is especially significant for pulses, one of India’s most important protein sources. Despite producing more than 25 million tonnes of pulses in 2024-25, the country still struggles with post-harvest losses caused by pests such as pulse beetle, fungal contamination and moisture-related spoilage.Researchers say the herbal formulation demonstrated strong repellent and insecticidal properties during trials. In one striking experiment, treated mung bean seeds reportedly remained viable for almost a decade while retaining germination strength and seed vigour — a finding that could have major implications for long-term seed banking and agricultural storage systems.Beyond grain protection, scientists see wider applications for the technology. “Conventional chemical protectants used in storage systems often raise concerns over toxic residues, environmental contamination and long-term exposure risks,” said Dr Trivedi. The new herbal coating, researchers say, is biodegradable, plant-based and significantly cheaper — costing nearly one-tenth of some chemical alternatives available commercially.The research was carried out by Dr Jitendra Kumar and Dr Trivedi with support from ICAR. According to Dr Manish Das, the patent reflects the institute’s push toward sustainable post-harvest technologies.If adopted widely, the innovation could help farmers, seed corporations and storage agencies tackle one of Indian agriculture’s least visible but most expensive problems — the loss of food after it is already grown.Story 2: Cutting down on chemical dependenceFor India’s agriculture sector, the challenge does not end with record crop production. A significant quantity of grains is lost after harvest due to poor storage infrastructure, insect infestation and fungal contamination.Among the biggest threats are storage pests such as pulse beetles or bruchids (callosobruchus chinensis), which can rapidly damage stored pulses in warehouses and seed storage units.Traditionally, storage protection systems have relied on chemicals such as carbendazim, thiram, imidacloprid and chlorpyrifos. While effective against pests, researchers say excessive use of such chemicals raises concerns over toxic residues, environmental contamination and pesticide resistance.Scientists across agricultural institutes are now exploring plant-based alternatives including essential oils, herbal extracts and biodegradable coatings. Researchers say such technologies can provide safer long-term storage protection while reducing dependence on synthetic chemicals.The newly patented herbal seed coating technology developed by ICAR-DMAPR scientists is part of this broader shift towards sustainable post-harvest management systems.
