Mustard-derived formulation enhances efficacy and economics through concentration of the active ingredient in a liquid format

mustard

Image: The Liquid Formulation is an advancement of MustGrow’s mustard-derived ‘granule format’ bio-pesticide product. Photo: courtesy of Vikramjit Kakati from Pixabay.

Agricultural biotech company MustGrow Biologics has finalised its advanced liquid formulation, an advancement of the company’s mustard-derived ‘granule format’ bio-pesticide product.

Designed to use via standard drip or spray equipment, the advanced Liquid Formulation will serve as a natural biological alternative to chemistry-based products for vegetable growers.

The new Liquid Formulation will help improve functionality and performance features such as the higher concentration of the active ingredient requires less product per acre, more efficacious results per volume and convenient drip-line or spray application, as well as lower transportation costs and ease-of-use due to less weight, less volume, less bulkiness.

The new Liquid Formulation serves as a natural biological alternative to chemistry-based products

Canada’s federal research and development organisation National Research Council (NRC) Canada has completed the MustGrow’s Liquid Formulation work programme.

The Canadian organisation assessed control of hard-to-kill soil-borne diseases and application use-rates, specifically diseases that were problematic for multiple Canada’s licenced cannabis producers.

NRC achieved 100% control of hard-to-kill soil-borne diseases such as Botrytis and Fusarium using MustGrow’s advanced Liquid Formulation.

NRC also tested the lowest effective application use-rates to determine the economic viability of the Liquid Formulation.

The advanced Liquid Formulation is believed to deliver an economically-feasible application rate in fruits, vegetables, turf, ornamental, cannabis and hemp farming operations.

The company is undertaking further testing to evaluate efficacy on additional pests, as well as other broad market applications in the food value chain including storage container fumigation.

MustGrow’s Liquid Formulation, which is derived from mustard seed, uses the plant’s natural defense mechanism as a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide.

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), an active ingredient, will be formed when organic compounds found in mustard seed combined with water.

To maximise safety and efficacy, the company has concentrated the active ingredient in both granular and now liquid format.

The granular product of MustGrow is EPA-approved as a bio-fertiliser and bio-pesticide across all major US states.

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has designated the company’s granular product as a fruit, vegetable, turf and ornamental bio-pesticide and bio-fertiliser.