FBSciences announces significant expansion of its biopesticide category including nematicide, fungicide, and insecticide opportunities

FBSciences, a global leader in the innovation and commercialization of biologicals for agriculture and food production, including biostimulants, biopesticides, and comprehensive crop nutrition solutions, announces a broad expansion of its biopesticide category. Committed to continuous milestones in crop protection, FBSciences has added further uses and claims to its EPA-registered biopesticide material, FBS Defense 500. Recently approved nematicide claims have now been added to previously registered plant growth regulator (PGR) claims. A fungicide package has been submitted and is currently pending approval, and an insecticide package will be submitted later this month.

FBSciences' FBS Defense 500 is a biopesticide based on FBSciences' sustainable methods in innovation and development of agricultural biologicals. FBSciences' biopesticide works as a complement to a grower's crop production and management program. FBS Defense 500 is a broad spectrum biopesticide to improve germination and seedling development, stimulate root and shoot growth, increase chlorophyll content, improve plant ability to withstand stress, increase yields, and control nematodes when used alone or in mixtures with nutrients and other pesticide products on field crops, vegetables, fruits, nuts, vine crops, turf, and ornamentals. Once the pending fungicide package is approved, this description will be appended to include the control of fungal diseases.

The most recent claims to be added to the FBS Defense 500 label are for the control of nematodes which are known to reduce yields by 7-20% depending on crop and geography. FBS Defense 500 has been proven effective on various nematode species, including root-knot, cyst, lesion, spiral, and reniform nematodes. FBS Defense 500 controls nematode populations both in the soil and in the roots for more than one generation, reducing plant damage from nematodes and improving plant health. Field trial results show an 80-85% reduction in root-knot nematodes in the roots and up to 100% in the soil 25 and 45 days after application to the soil or as a seed treatment.

These climate-smart solutions are necessary as food production needs increase, consumers demand safer crop protection products, and growers face a wide variety of biotic stresses in their crops. At the same time, integrated pest management practices are vital to preventing resistance. FBSciences is dedicated to providing sustainable crop protection while still maintaining productivity and profitability for growers.

Registered PGR and nematicide claims, pending fungicide claims, and planned insecticide claims set FBSciences' FBS Defense 500 apart from other biopesticides, demonstrating both the PGR and pesticidal capabilities of the material.

"FBSciences is committed to leading the way in the biopesticide arena with superior crop protection solutions. We are thrilled to add nematicide claims to FBS Defense 500's PGR claims and are looking forward to expanding into fungicide and insecticide claims. We are committed to providing climate-smart crop protection solutions with softer chemistries while still increasing profit and productivity for growers. The expansion of claims broadens the breadth of product development opportunities we can bring to our customers," said Courtenay Wolfe, Chair and CEO.

Products already under FBSciences' crop protection umbrella include preventative fungicide Carbon Defense^® and registration-pending nematicide Nemblast™. FBSciences plans to roll out a comprehensive lineup of biopesticide solutions under the FBS Defense brand category as they receive approvals for additional label uses, with both conventional and organic products. FBSciences also anticipates an inert tolerance exemption of their proprietary active ingredient in FBS Defense 500 in July 2021. With the approval of the inert tolerance exemption, FBSciences will include their biopesticide technology as an inert ingredient, opening opportunities to make the technology available in other formulations with other active ingredients. Carbon Defense is now commercially available, and Nemblast is available for select field trial opportunities.