Acephate 75% SP Insecticide Uses

Acephate 75% SP is an organophosphate insecticide registered for use in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968, formulated as a water-soluble powder (SP) for foliar spraying. It is registered for the control of jassids and bollworms in cotton, aphids in safflower, and yellow stem borer, leaf folder, plant hoppers and green leaf hopper in paddy. This page lists its mode of action, key benefits and the recommended dosage as per the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB&RC) official list of approved insecticide uses (Government of India).

Which Problem Is This For? (Symptom Guide)

Not sure whether the damage in your field matches this insecticide's use case? This guide helps match what you see in the field to this insecticide's approved crop-wise uses.

Mode of Action

Acephate is an organophosphate insecticide (IRAC Group 1B). It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase in the insect's nervous system, so nerve signals are not switched off; the insect becomes over-excited, paralysed and dies. Acephate is highly water-soluble and systemic — it is absorbed by the leaves and moves within the plant — and acts by contact and stomach action against both sucking and chewing pests.

Features & Benefits

• Water-soluble powder dissolves readily in the spray tank.
• Systemic, contact and stomach action — works on sucking pests (jassids, aphids, hoppers) as well as chewing pests (bollworms, stem borer, leaf folder).
• Registered for cotton, safflower and paddy as per the CIB&RC list.
• Organophosphate mode of action (Group 1B) can be rotated with insecticides from other IRAC groups to help manage resistance.

Recommended Usage of Acephate 75% SP Insecticide

The table below gives the recommended dose, water volume and waiting period per acre, converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rate — see the note below the table for conversion details. Always confirm against the current product label before use.

Figures above are converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rates (1 ha ≈ 2.47 acres): Cotton (jassids) — 292 g a.i./ha, 390 g formulation/ha, 500–1000 L water/ha, waiting period 15 days; Cotton (bollworms) — 584 g a.i./ha, 780 g formulation/ha, 500–1000 L water/ha, waiting period 15 days; Safflower (aphids) — 584 g a.i./ha, 780 g formulation/ha, 500–1000 L water/ha, waiting period 15 days; Rice (Paddy) — 500–750 g a.i./ha, 666–1000 g formulation/ha, 300–500 L water/ha, waiting period 15 days. Always confirm the current dose on your specific product's label before use.

How to Use

1. Identify the pest from the symptom guide above and confirm the dose from the table.
2. Dissolve the measured powder in a small quantity of water first, then add it to the spray tank and top up to the full volume while stirring.
3. Spray uniformly with a knapsack or power sprayer, covering both the upper and lower leaf surfaces; in paddy, direct the spray towards the base of the plants where hoppers feed.
4. Spray when the pest first appears, or at the crop stage advised by your local agricultural extension office.
5. Spray in calm weather in the early morning or late evening, and avoid spraying if rain is expected within a few hours.

Precautions & Safety

• Wear appropriate PPE — mask/respirator, gloves, goggles and full-sleeved clothing — while mixing and spraying, and avoid inhaling the powder or spray mist.
• Follow the recommended dose strictly; do not mix with other pesticides unless specifically recommended.
• Respect the 15-day waiting period (PHI) before harvesting treated cotton, safflower or paddy.
• Acephate is toxic to honeybees — avoid spraying flowering crops when bees are actively foraging.
• Do not let spray wash or field water reach ponds, fish tanks, streams or drinking-water sources.
• Store in the original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, food and feed, and out of reach of children and livestock.
• If headache, nausea, excessive sweating or blurred vision occur during or after spraying, stop work and seek medical help immediately, showing the product label to the doctor.
• Wash hands, face and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after spraying, and change out of contaminated clothing before eating, drinking or smoking.

Brand names mentioned on this page are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are referenced here for identification purposes only; FarmMate is not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands. This page is for general information only — always consult your local agricultural extension office and confirm the current product label before use.