About Us
Natural products are registered by the US EPA Biopesticide and Pollution Prevention Division as ‘microbials’ or ‘biochemicals.’ A microbial is a product containing a living or dead microorganism (examples: Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus subtilis). A biochemical is a naturally occurring compound or mix of compounds (e.g., pheromone or citronella oil) with a nontoxic mode of action. The cost of the toxicology tests required to register a biopesticide is approximately $150-$300K (typically oral, intravenous and intraperitoneal acute toxicity and pathogenicity tests on rats, dermal and eye irritation tests on rabbits, a dermal sensitization test on guinea pigs; ecotoxicity studies are conducted on trout, quail, honeybee, Daphnia, lacewing, lady bird beetle, and parasitic wasp). Approval is approximately 12-24 months after registration package submission.
EPA Registration Timeline
- 2002
- Seranade¸ (wettable powder) biofungicide, AgraQuest's first EPA approva
- Serenade¸ AS (aqueous suspension)
- 2003
- Rhapsody® AS, (aqueous suspension) biofungicide for ornamentals
- Serenade® Garden Disease Control - Ready to Use, an organic biofungicide for home gardeners
- 2004
- Serenade® ASO (aqueous suspension - organic)
- Serenade Garden Disease Control - Concentrate
- Rhapsody® (aqueous suspension - organic)
- Serenade® MAX (concentrated wettable powder - organic)
- Sonata® (aqueous suspension - organic) biofungicide
- TBD
- QRD 300 biofumigant awaiting EPA approval
- QRD 300 biofumigant awaiting EPA approval