Marrone Bio Innovations announces approval of Stargus biofungicide in Mexico

Date:10-02-2019

Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (NASDAQ: MBII) (MBI), an international leader in sustainable bioprotection and plant health solutions, recently announced that its novel Bacillus Biofungicide, marketed in the U.S. as Stargus® for specialty crops, was approved for use in Mexico by the Ministry of Health COFEPRIS.  Stargus will be used in Mexico to control downy mildews, late blight and a broad range of other plant related diseases on zucchini, squash, chayote, melon, cucumber, watermelon and potato crops.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2016, the U.S. imported more than $12 billion in fruit and vegetables from Mexico. Mexico is the largest foreign supplier of vegetables and fruits in the United States, and Stargus will be available to Mexican farmers to utilize on their own crops in the upcoming growing season.

The active ingredient in Stargus, recognized by the Ministry of Health as a reduced risk biological pesticide due to its low toxicity profile, is a new strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens that has beenrecently reclassified as Bacillus nakamurai by taxonomists. Stargus is unique in its high performance on downy mildews, white molds, Fusarium and Botrytis gray mold, which are particularly difficult to control. The market for effective and environmentally friendly products is growing at a rate of 10-20 percent per year. When integrated into crop production and pest management programs, biologicals – including Stargus – can offer farmers higher-quality crops and better yields than conventional programs alone.

“As a major fresh fruit and vegetable producer and our nation’s largest supplier  of seasonal crops, Mexico is a critical market for MBI to enter with innovative products like Stargus,” said Dr. Pamela Marrone, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Marrone Bio Innovations. “With the Canadian approval of Stargus earlier this year and this recent approval in Mexico, MBI has significantly expanded our international reach with key U.S. trading partners. This is a real growth opportunity for Marrone Bio, and we are thrilled that Stargus is approved and will be ready to use in the key upcoming Mexican growing season.”