Vestaron’s Leprotec® Bt biological insecticide receives California registration

Vestaron Corporation announces that its Leprotec^® Btk bioinsecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki) is now registered in all 50 states, with its recent California state registration.

Leprotec^® is a versatile liquid formulation of the lepidopteran-active Bt kurstaki strain EVB-113-19. This bioinsecticide may be used in a wide range of crops including outdoor food, non-food and greenhouse crops for control of loopers, worms and other caterpillars.

According to Vestaron’s field development biologist, Daniel Peck, PhD: “Leprotec^® is OMRI Listed, giving growers the flexibility to use on conventional as well as organic acreage.”

Leprotec^® is the ideal partner for use with Vestaron’s Spear^®-Lep bioinsecticide. After ingestion, Btk disrupts the insect mid-gut to open passage for the peptide contained in Spear^®-Lep to effectively target receptors in the nervous system. This leads to insect death and extended residual activity. Together, these two modes of action give growers a new tool for the management of insecticide resistance in some of the toughest to control pests such as Diamondback Moth and Navel Orangeworm.