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Contacts:
Pam Marrone, Ph.D. President and Founder, 530-750-0150 ext 15; pmarrone@agraquest.com
Denise Manker, Ph.D. VP Global Product Development, 530-750-0151 ext 121; dmanker@agraquest.com
Julie Versman, Marketing Director, 530-750-0150 ext 16; jversman@agraquest.com
AgraQuest Receives EPA and CAL-EPA Registration of Natural Fumigant Based on Muscodor albus, a Safe, Effective Alternative for Methyl Bromide
DAVIS, Calif. (November 17, 2005) – AgraQuest, Inc. is pleased to announce that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Pesticide Registration have approved the registration of the company's groundbreaking new natural fumigant. The product is based on the novel fungus Muscodor albus, which produces gaseous (volatile) substances that safely and effectively control plant and human pathogens, insects and nematodes.
Products based on M. albus have the potential to replace methyl bromide, a toxic fumigant commonly used in agriculture to sterilize soil. Methyl bromide is being phased out of use by 160 countries under the Montreal Treaty because it disrupts the ozone layer. M. albus shows excellent results in field trials for both pre-plant uses (such as applications before transplanting peppers and tomatoes) and post harvest prevention and eradication of molds and rots (such as grapes, berries, tomatoes, and others). AgraQuest's biofumigant is also being developed for fumigation of greenhouse soil to control diseases that attack plant roots.
Gary Strobel, Ph.D., a professor at Montana State University, discovered M. albus during an expedition in the rainforests of Central America (More information). In 2002, Dr. Strobel's work on M. albus was selected by the editor of Science magazine as the key work in the entire field of microbiology.
“The gaseous compounds in M. albus provide an entirely new approach to replacing methyl bromide and other highly toxic, environmentally damaging fumigant chemicals,” explains Jonathan Margolis, Ph.D., Vice President of R&D at AgraQuest. “Its registration validates AgraQuest’s focus on creating innovative, scientifically based products that are effective, novel and safe for workers and the environment.”
AgraQuest is developing M. albus products for a variety of applications including: post harvest disease control of fruit, nut vegetable, seed and bulbs; insect control; pre-plant fumigation of tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, nursery and other crops; re-plant disease of nut trees, stone fruit trees and vines; and greenhouse soil diseases.
“International soil fumigation markets are primed for these products, especially the major exporting countries with significant glasshouse and field production of sensitive crops,” states Bill Dunham, AgraQuest’s Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing.
“We’re excited to market the many applications of Muscodor albus, and anticipate great success, especially in the fruit, nut and vegetable markets of California and Florida ,” said Chris Coombs , Vice President of US Sales & Marketing for AgraQuest.
Additional uses for the biofumigant include controlling or eradicating food-borne pathogens like Salmonella, E.coli, and Listeria, for the control of molds in grain, and for the treatment of molds in buildings. AgraQuest has a collaboration with a major construction company to develop M. albus for the prevention and control of molds in buildings and other structures.
AgraQuest received Phase I and Phase II SBIR grants from the USDA to support the commercialization of Muscodor albus, and is perfecting the formulation and delivery of the products for commercial use. The company expects to launch post harvest and soil fumigant products in 2006 and 2007.
About AgraQuest
AgraQuest is a biotechnology company that focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and marketing effective, safe and environmentally friendly natural pest management products for agricultural, institutional and home markets The company sells Serenade®, Serenade® Garden, Rhapsody®, Sonata® and Ballad® Biofungicides and Biotune® Adjuvant. A bioinsecticide is pending at the EPA. AgraQuest received the Presidential Green Chemistry Award from the EPA for the discovery and commercialization of Serenade Biofungicide. In 2004, AgraQuest received a Red Herring Top 100 Private Company Award and the World Technology Award for the Environment.
Certain matters contained in the press release concerning AgraQuest, Inc. are forward-looking statements which are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the receipt of EPA and other regulatory approval of the Company’s products, the success of the Company’s products in field trials and the timely development, manufacture and marketing and acceptance of the Company’s products in the marketplace.