MustGrow Biologics Corp., headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has advanced its mustard-derived ‘granule format’ bio-pesticide product. Unlike the granule format, the new liquid formulation may be applied through standard drip or spray equipment, improving functionality and performance features such as:

• - Higher concentration of the active ingredient which requires less product per acre;
• - More efficacious results per volume;
• - Convenient drip-line or spray application; and
• - Lower transportation costs and ease-of-use due to less weight, less volume, less bulkiness.

This is a milestone for fruit and vegetable growers seeking a natural biological alternative to chemistry-based products. Using MustGrow’s liquid formulation, the National Research Council Canada achieved 100 per cent control of hard-to-kill soil borne diseases such as botrytis and fusarium. To determine economic viability of the liquid formulation, NRC also tested the lowest effective application use-rates: >95 per cent control was achieved at rates as low as 2.5 gal/acre, believed by the company to be an economically-feasible application rate in fruits, vegetables and other farming operations.

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

MustGrow’s liquid formulation is derived from mustard seed, utilizing the plant’s natural defense mechanism as a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide. 

Source: MustGrow Biologics Corp October 17, 2019 news release