Canada to approve Novozymes bioinsecticide

The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has proposed to approve full registration for the sale and use of Novozymes’ bioinsecticide, Metarhizium anisopliae strain F52 and Met52 EC, containing the technical grade active ingredient Metarhizium anisopliae strain F52, to control whiteflies and thrips on greenhouse food crops and suppress hairy chinch bugs and ticks on turf.

Metarhizium anisopliae strain F52 is a soil-dwelling fungus which infects insects and ticks and can result in death. Formulated as Met52 EC Bioinsecticide and applied as a foliar spray it reduces whitefly numbers on greenhouse tomato, reduces thrips numbers on greenhouse pepper, greenhouse strawberry and greenhouse zucchini, and suppresses hairy chinch bug and ticks on turf. A granular formulation of Metarhizium anisopliae strain F52 (Met52 Granular Bioinsecticide) is currently registered for the control of black vine weevil and strawberry root weevil when applied in the growth media of container grown ornamentals. Both end-use products are Commercial Class.

The PMRA will open the public comment until May 11th.