Jan 14, 2020

Marrone Bio gains approval of Stargus biofungicide in California

Marrone Bio Innovations (NASDAQ: MBII) (MBI), a sustainable bioprotection and plant health solutions company, said Jan. 14 that its patented Bacillus biofungicide, Stargus, has been fully reviewed by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and approved for immediate use by growers in California on several crops, including grapes, leafy greens, brassicas, strawberries, cucurbits and fruiting vegetables.

The approval of Stargus in California marks an important milestone in providing innovative solutions for growers across the United States. Stargus has already been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is registered for use in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada. Marrone Bio is currently in the process of registering the product in several other countries internationally as well.

 Stargus is currently being sold by MBI’s channel distributors in the United States. Recent studies conducted by distribution partners in California showed that Stargus outperformed direct competitors, paving the way for a rapid adoption by Californian growers looking for higher performance.  The active ingredient in Stargus has multiple modes of action including boosting the innate ability of the plant to defend itself and the direct anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects of the natural compounds produced in fermentation by the bacteria. Additionally, Stargus is exempt from maximum residue limits (MRLs) and has a zero-day pre-harvest interval – giving growers flexibility into how they schedule labor and applications, while providing protection to crops right up to the day of harvest.

“Trials conducted in the U.S., and specifically in California, have proven Stargus increases crop yields and quality by controlling a variety of plant diseases, including downy mildew, white molds, and Botrytis gray mold’’ said Kevin Hammill, Chief Commercial Officer of Marrone Bio Innovations. 

‘‘Stargus used alone outperformed the biological standards and is competitive with the current growers’ crop protection chemical standards. In a BioUnite program, Stargus is consistently a top performer when incorporated into program with the current chemical standards.’’

‘‘Stargus is another example of how we leverage our existing library of 18,000-plus micro-organisms and 350 plant extracts, addressing the $16.3 billion global fungicide market¹,’’ said Pam Marrone, founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations. ‘‘Our teams specifically screened for a product that would bring new modes of action to the Bacillus product market and be highly effective on an array of diseases such as downy mildew and white mold.’’ 

1: Phillips McDougall

Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (NASDAQ: MBII) is a growth-oriented company leading the movement to more a sustainable world through the discovery, development and sale of innovative biological products for crop protection, plant health and waterway systems treatment that help customers operate more sustainably while increasing their return on investment.

MBI has screened over 18,000 microorganisms and 350 plant extracts, leveraging its in-depth knowledge of plant and soil microbiomes enhanced by advanced molecular technologies and natural product chemistry to rapidly develop seven product lines. Supported by a robust portfolio of over 400 issued and pending patents.