AgroPages-Canada to approve FMC’s biofungicide BLAD polypeptide-Agricultural news

Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has proposed the full registration of FMC’s biofungicide BLAD polypeptide and its end-use product Problad Plus, for the control of powdery mildew and grey mould on grape, strawberry, tomato, stone fruit, almond and ornamental plants.

BLAD polypeptide is a fragment of a naturally occurring seed storage protein in sweet lupine (Lupinus albus) that serves as a nitrogen source for the germinating and developing plant. It also acts on susceptible fungal pathogens by causing damage to the fungal cell wall and disrupting the inner cell membrane. BLAD polypeptide is not yet classified by the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee, but based on the proposed mode of action, the risk of resistance is considered to be small.

Problad Plus was developed over the past 10 years by researchers at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) at Lisbon University, Portugal. In 2012, FMC signed an exclusive distribution and development agreement with Consumo em Verde (CEV), Biotecnologia das Plantas, S.A. of Portugal for this unique fungicide.

PMRA is inviting public comments until March 23rd 2015.