Profenofos 50% EC Insecticide Uses

Profenofos 50% EC is an organophosphate insecticide registered for use in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968, formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate (EC) for foliar spraying. It is registered for the control of bollworm and sucking pests (jassids, aphids, thrips and whiteflies) in cotton, semilooper and girdle beetle in soybean, fruit borer, tobacco caterpillar, thrips and aphids in chilli, and thrips in onion. 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

Profenofos 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. It acts by contact and stomach action and has translaminar activity — it penetrates the leaf and reaches pests feeding on the underside.

Features & Benefits

• Contact and stomach action against both chewing pests (bollworm, caterpillars, girdle beetle) and sucking pests (jassids, aphids, thrips, whiteflies).
• Translaminar movement helps reach pests on the underside of leaves.
• Registered for cotton, soybean, chilli and onion 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 Profenofos 50% EC 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 (bollworm) — 750–1000 g a.i./ha, 1500–2000 ml formulation/ha, 500–1000 L water/ha, waiting period 15 days; Cotton (jassids, aphids, thrips, whiteflies) — 500 g a.i./ha, 1000 ml formulation/ha, 500–1000 L water/ha, waiting period 15 days; Soybean — 500 g a.i./ha, 1000 ml formulation/ha, 500 L water/ha, waiting period 40 days; Chilli — 500 g a.i./ha, 1000 ml formulation/ha, 500 L water/ha, waiting period 3 days; Onion — 500 g a.i./ha, 1000 ml formulation/ha, 500 L water/ha, waiting period 80 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. Fill the spray tank half with clean water, add the measured quantity of the EC, then top up to the full volume while stirring to form a uniform emulsion.
3. Spray uniformly with a knapsack or power sprayer, covering both the upper and lower leaf surfaces as well as the fruiting parts.
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 spray mist.
• Follow the recommended dose strictly; do not mix with other pesticides unless specifically recommended.
• Respect the waiting period (PHI) before harvest: 15 days for cotton, 40 days for soybean, 3 days for chilli and 80 days for onion.
• Profenofos is toxic to honeybees, fish and birds — 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.