Vitae group inaugurates factory, prepares for launch of bio-insecticide

Vitae Rural Biotecnologia (VR Biotech), in February inaugurated its first production factory in the Brazilian municipality of Uberaba in the state of Minas Gerais for the production of Cartucho VIT. 

 

Cartucho VIT is a specific bio-insecticide for the control of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), which can be used for corn as well for other crops.

 

The bio-insecticide is produced through the Baculovirus spodoptera on wettable powder at the proportion of 50 grams per hectare in 150 liters of water. According to the manufacturer, the product produces mortality in 90 percent of caterpillars and there are no reports of resistance. VR Biotech announced the intention of producing thousands of doses of Cartucho VIT later this year for the next crop.

 

Paulo César Manara, owner of Vitae (composed by the companies Vitae Rural Homeopathy and Vitae Rural Biotechnology) highlighted the fact that the project was launched with the support of the Technological Park of the local City Hall, which took care of the regulatory and health issues of the product. He highlighted that this partnership would ensure the installation soon in a biotechnology laboratory.

 

For the formulation of bio-inseciticide, VR Biotech used research of Embrapa Corn and Sorghum unit of SeteLagoas, Minas Gerais. The development received support from the researcher Fernando Valicente, who is an agronomist and a Doctor on Enthomology – Molecular Genetics and researcher on Biological Control.

 

“The researcher had a technology that enables the fabrication of a bio-insecticide with the Baculovirus spodoptera. So we have entered into a patent exploration contract for the development of industrial production technology based on the parameters of Embrapa,” explained Manara.

 

The manager of Uberaba Technological Park, Raquel Resende, highlighted the importance of the launch, “This is mostly about a product related to clean health, which is the brand of VR Biotech products. The consumer wins, because there is a product without chemical residue, which so many companies seek.”