Marrone Bio Innovations’ Regalia Maxx biofungicide approved for use on cannabis in Canada

Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (MBI) announced that Regalia Maxx has received label approval from Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency, clearing the product for use on cannabis (marihuana) crops in Canada.

Further, MBI has appointed Plant Products®, a full-service greenhouse supplier, as the new distributor for Regalia Maxx in Eastern and central Canada to enhance its reach within the burgeoning Cannabis market. MBI is presently in the process of appointing a new distributor for Western Canada with an announcement soon to follow.

“Plant Products is excited to offer Regalia Maxx biofungicide, especially to our cannabis growers. The demand for safe and easy to use biologicals keeps increasing and we look forward to be the go-to source for Eastern Canada,” said Chris Stickles, president, Plant Products.

Regalia Maxx is based on an extract of giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis). It works from the inside out, by triggering treated plants’ natural defense mechanisms to produce disease-fighting biochemicals (Induced Systemic Resistance and Systemic Acquired Resistance), while simultaneously enhancing plant health, crop yield and crop quality. Regalia Maxx is exempt from residue tolerances (MRLs = maximum residue levels). The new label is approved for suppression of powdery mildew and gray mold (Botrytis) for indoor commercial growers.

According to the most recent Cannabis Intelligence Briefing report created by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics in March 2018, Canada’s federal-level legalization of cannabis for medical use has led to rapid growth and will continue to grow even further as Canada’s adult population gains the right to purchase and consume cannabis legally.

Chemical pesticides dominate today’s $60 billion global pesticides market, but the fastest-growing category of crop inputs is biologicals. These effective and environmentally friendly products are growing at 10-20 percent per year, compared to just 2-3 percent for chemicals. When integrated into crop production and pest management programs, biologicals — including, Regalia Maxx — can offer higher-quality crops and better yields than conventional programs.

“We are incredibly excited to have gained approval for Regalia Maxx’s extended label, opening up the Canadian cannabis market to MBI,” said Pam Marrone, Founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations. “We believe our strategic partnerships with leading distributors in Canada will drive our success in penetrating this nascent market. We look forward to further growing our presence in Canada through biologicals education and other localized efforts.”