USA - FBS Carbon Defense^®, FBSciences' broad spectrum preventative fungicide, now registered in California

FBS Carbon Defense, FBSciences' broad-spectrum U.S. EPA registered preventative, rotational fungicide has been approved for sale in the state of California. FBS Carbon Defense is a fungicide in the form of a soluble potassium silicate that provides control and early prevention of powdery mildew, downy mildew, Botrytis, and Fusarium in field crops, fruits, nuts, vines, and ornamentals. FBS Carbon Defense is an excellent resistance management tool with no pathogen resistance and multiple modes of action, while also providing suppression of mites, aphids, whiteflies, and other insects. FBS Carbon Defense provides robust crop protection with a less harsh, more environmentally friendly formulation in comparison to traditional fungicides, with no risk of phytotoxicity and a zero day preharvest interval (PHI).

In over 50 trials on 15 crops, FBS Carbon Defense has been proven to reduce fungal diseases, with the greatest control exhibited on powdery mildew, Botrytis, Fusarium, and downy mildew. In a three-year strawberry trial conducted in Ventura County, CA, FBS Carbon Defense significantly reduced fruit rot disease (both Botrytis and powdery mildew). Botrytis incidence was assessed at 7 times throughout the season, and at five out of seven assessments, FBS Carbon Defense significantly reduced the percent incidence of Botrytis compared to the untreated check and was comparable to the industry standard fungicide. At three out of seven assessments, FBS Carbon Defense provided significantly better control of Botrytis than another potassium silicate standard. A trial was conducted in California to measure the effects of FBS Carbon Defense on Fusarium (dry root rot) in citrus trees. The FBS Carbon Defense treatments, along with tree pruning, were found to provide almost complete control of the disease and full recovery of the infected trees. Disease control and recovery of the trees was also significantly better with FBS Carbon Defense than with a leading potassium silicate product. FBSciences is currently conducting additional trials with FBS Carbon Defense in California on pumpkins and bell peppers.

FBS Carbon Defense is part of the FBS Defense™ biopesticide technology platform. FBS Technologies are naturally derived and increase efficiencies of other pest control products, improving grower ROI and sustainability. As regulatory and consumer demands for more environmentally friendly products grow, while at the same time climate change increases the severity and spread of pests and diseases, FBS Technologies provide strong crop protection with softer chemistries.

"With the California registration of FBS Carbon Defense, FBSciences is excited to bring a powerful EPA registered preventative fungicide to our California customers," said Courtenay Wolfe, Chair and CEO of FBSciences. "Through extensive trials and research on FBS Carbon Defense both in California and globally, we have demonstrated outstanding proof in the field of the robust crop protection benefits as well as the powerful improvements to plant, soil, and climate health seen with our FBS Defense line of products. We expect significant commercial success with this launch."

FBSciences plans to expand their FBS Defense platform, which currently includes FBS Carbon Defense and their EPA registered nematicide NemBlast™, in the coming months to leverage the numerous opportunities provided by the recently broadened EPA registered claims of their biopesticide material FBS Defense 500.