ROMEO®, the first Systemic Resistance Inducer registered from yeast origin

The product ROMEO® will be registered as a biofungicide against foliar diseases in grape and vegetables. It will be the first Systemic Resistance Inducer registered from yeast  origin.
 

Agrauxine conducted a numerous number of trials in 8 countries and showed that ROMEO®, in tank mixes allows up to 50% of dose reduction of conventional products which is a real advantage. The product has a strong potential and is really easy to integrate into the usual pest management programs. This synergy with traditional chemical products could allow actors on the value chain to rethink products they develop and also allow farmers to reduce the use of chemical without changing the efficacy of the program.
 

As for the commercialization of ROMEO®, Agrauxine has already planned a launch in 2017 / 2018 in France, Spain and Italy. Beyond those countries, Agrauxine is currently working on its registration strategy in other European countries, in the USA and also in South America with the objective of finding the best partners along the value chain to develop ROMEO ® together.

 

 

What is the target pest/disease and crops/market of the  product?
 

ROMEO® is a Systemic Resistance Inducer (SRI) that acts preventively by inducing plant defense mechanisms, and so prepares the plant to protect itself against fungal attacks. The product brings flexibility to growers because it’s a multi targets solution against downy mildew, powdery mildew and botrytis. Furthermore, ROMEO efficacy is maximized when the product is integrated into a pest management program. This solution will help to reduce significantly the use of copper, sulfur and active substances from chemical origin.

 

What are the benefits of the product in relation to human health and the environment?
 

The active substance cerevisane® has been registered in April 2016 as low risk substance according to the regulation EC.1107/2009. It is an inert fraction having no impact to the environment and the non-targeted organisms. The product is exempted of MRL (cf: annex VI of the regulation (EC) 396 / 2005)

Cerevisane® is a specific fraction of Saccharomyces cerevisiae LAS117 (no GMO) which occurs naturally in environment and is biodegradable like any fractions of micro-organism. This releases protein material, lipid material and organic matter. No risk for environment is expected because no biological nor chemical activities are expected. This substance is natural and the quantities applied are negligible compared with endogenous quantities. Therefore, no risk for environment is expected with the use of product based on Cerevisane®.
 

Any other information that demonstrates the novelty and usefulness of the product.
 

ROMEO is complementary to existing solutions, and will help reducing the use of conventional plant protection products. This biofungicide helps to combine different mode of action in the pest management program and so reduce the risk of resistance appearances. ROMEO broad spectrum brings flexibility for growers and helps to manage important diseases like downy mildew powdery mildew and  botrytis.
 

Recently mode of actions studies have been done with recognized universities, using omics technologies (genomics, metabolic…) to understand the pathways regulated by ROMEO.
 

The treatment with the product is engendering a differentiation in the expression of 7.269 genes with an FC ≥2 and 1.541 genes FC≥8. (FC: Fold Change). It induces the over-expression of several genes involved in defense responses to fungal pathogens.
 

The activation of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid and ethylene (JA/ET) dependent pathways explain the broad efficacy of the product. ROMEO is also activating a natural mechanisms implicated into grapevine resistant against downy mildew.