Canada approves Bioworks’ biopesticide

The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is granting full registration for the sale and use of Bioworks’ biopesticide G 41 Technical and the associated end-use product RootShield Plus Wettable Powder, containing the technical grade active ingredients Trichoderma virens strain G-41 and Trichoderma hazianum Rifai strain KRL-AG2, to suppress certain Phytophthora species that cause root rot on outdoor container-grown ornamentals. Bioworks’ RootShield WP has acquired the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listing for use in organic production in 2010. Another RootShield ® product RootShield® PLUS+ has been approved by U.S. EPA in February 2012.

Trichoderma virens strain G-41 a naturally occurring soil fungus that was isolated from soils in North America. It occupies a special niche on the roots of plants but can be found on decaying wood and vegetable matter. Trichoderma virens strain G-41 is used as a microbial pest control agent (MPCA) in G-41Technical, and the associated end-use product, RootShield Plus Wettable Powder. RootShield Plus Wettable Powder is a commercial fungicide which contains live spores of the MPCA, and is proposed for use to protect the roots of outdoor container-grown ornamentals/nursery plants against root rot fungal pathogens (for example, Phytophthora parasitica and Phytophthora cinnamomi).

Source: Health Canada