MAJESTENE bionematicide receives California approval

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has approved Marrone Bio Innovations‘ (MBI) bionematicide, MAJESTENE. The bionematicide is a broad spectrum, high performance natural bionematicide to manage nematode (roundworm) populations and increase yields in a wide range of agricultural crops, according to the company.

MAJESTENE, based on a novel bacterium that produces nematicidal compounds, was developed from MBI’s in-house discovery screening process and provides a mode of action for controlling nematodes by reducing or stopping eggs from hatching, preventing root galling and reducing nematode population density, according to MBI.

MAJESTENE provides a new tool for California growers, as DPR recently announced new restrictions, to start Jan. 1, 2017, further restricting the use of the chemical fumigant nematicide/pesticide 1,3-Dichloropropene, known commercially as Telone. In California, this fumigant is used most often on the Central Coast and in the San Joaquin Valley. The new restrictions will limit Telone application to 136,000 pounds within each “township,” or 6-mile by 6-mile area of land, per year. Currently, those limits range between 90,250 and 180,500 pounds per year.

MAJESTENE is labeled for a wide array of crops against multiple nematodes such as root knot, cyst, sting and lance and is approved for use in conventional and organic systems. It is available in a liquid formulation and can be applied at planting and in-season through irrigation systems with no limit on the number of applications allowed per season. MAJESTENE has the minimum four-hour re-entry interval, according to MBI.

MBI is conducting trials with researchers and demonstrations with California growers on a range of target crops such as carrots, trees and vines.