AgroPages-MustGrow outlines portfolio of natural bio-pesticides and bio-fertility products-Agricultural news

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

- MustGrow has compiled a science-based suite of natural biological pesticides and fertilizers for Canadian licensed cannabis producers.

- MustGrow recently in-licensed a bio-fungicide product that had previously been used in the industry to target powdery mildew.

- MustGrow’s bio-pesticide primarily targets soil borne diseases such as Fusarium (root rot) and Botrytis (gray mold).

- MustGrow has exclusive distribution of bio-fertility product TP-1000, which improves nutrient utilization in support of earlier growth and optimal flowering.

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (MGRO-CSE) (“MustGrow” or the “Company”), an agricultural biotech company developing and commercializing a portfolio of natural, science-based bio-pesticides and bio-fertility products for the cannabis industry, is pleased to outline its growing portfolio of natural biologic products.

Soil-borne (Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Botrytis) and air-borne (powdery mildew) diseases contaminate cannabis cultivation facilities. Requirements published by Health Canada necessitate mandatory testing for pesticides in cannabis (effective January 2, 2019). Through MustGrow’s suite of natural bio-pesticides and bio-fertility products, Canadian cannabis licence-holders may have access to products that aid in production of compliant, pest-free cannabis.

MustGrow’s Product Suite of Biologics:

* Estimated – subject to regulatory review and label approval.

CannaProtector^®

MustGrow is well-positioned to eventually market CannaProtector^®, with a compliant cannabis label, through tailoring of its natural mustard-derived granular bio-pesticide that has already been approved for use in fruits & vegetables as a soil treatment. CannaProtector^® has demonstrated control of many soil-borne diseases and pests that affect cannabis production, including the following: Botrytis (gray mold, bud rot), Pythium root rot, Rhizoctonia fungus, Fusarium, Verticillium wilt, Phytophthora root rot and Sclerotinia.

CannaProtector^® is derived from mustard seed, utilizing the plant’s natural defense mechanism as a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide. Organic compounds found in mustard seed, combined with water, form allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), which is the active ingredient. MustGrow has concentrated the active ingredient in both granular and liquid form to maximize safety and efficacy. MustGrow’s granular product, the formula underlying CannaProtector^®, is EPA-approved across all key U.S. states as a bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticide (currently limited to a fertilizer in California) and is designated by Health Canada’s PMRA (Pest Management Regulatory Agency) as a fruit, vegetable, turf and ornamental bio-pesticide and bio-fertilizer.

CannaVate^®

MustGrow has signed a Supply and Private Label Agreement for the exclusive Canadian distribution of a Streptomyces lydicus biological product in Canada. Streptomyces lydicus (a biological fungicide/bactericide) is the active ingredient in a previously available product which was once used by Canadian cannabis licensed cultivators for treatment of powdery mildew. Although not currently approved for use on cannabis, the product will be re-registered for such under the MustGrow private label trademark CannaVate^®. Active microbes within Streptomyces lydicus have multiple modes of action and application in various forms of production systems, aiding in crop protection from primarily powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew is a widespread fungal disease affecting both vegetative and woody plants. Following the initial infection, spores are continuously produced and spread, which further infects other plant leaves in warm and humid conditions. Powdery mildew appears as white or grey dusty patches on leaf surfaces, making plants appear unsightly. Cannabis plants infected with powdery mildew do NOT meet the stringent Health Canada requirements for cannabis sale and consumption.

A number of “chemical” fungicides are available for powdery mildew control outside of cannabis, including those containing sulphur, myclobutanil, chlorothalonil, tryfloxystrobin or thiophanate-methyl, but Health Canada deems these “chemical” products unsafe for cannabis cultivation, and they are strictly prohibited.

TP-1000

The first third-party product that MustGrow has brought in under this strategy is Triangle Plant Science’s TP-1000. MustGrow has exclusive distribution of the bio-fertility product TP-1000 in Canada and key registered cannabis markets globally. TP-1000 provides improved nutrient utilization in support of earlier growth and optimal flowering for plants, including cannabis. Third-party indoor trials have demonstrated excellent performance in hydroponic cannabis applications, with significant increases in yield (+4.6%), terpenes (+22.0%) and THC (+10.2%) levels.