AgTech: New Fungicide for treating Botrytis on Grapes by Eden Research

Eden Research, the AIM-listed natural micro-encapsulation company, announces that its first agrochemical product, 3AEY, a fungicide that primarily targets Botrytis on grapes, has been approved for commercial sales and use in Greece.

Eden Research, the AIM-listed natural micro-encapsulation company, announces that its first agrochemical product, 3AEY, a fungicide that primarily targets Botrytis on grapes, has been approved for commercial sales and use in Greece.

As part of the regulatory process in the EU, several years' worth of product efficacy trials were conducted in order to generate the data required to support the label claims of Botrytis prevention and control in table and wine grapes. As well as proving disease control, other studies such as taint and verification have also been conducted to prove the product has no negative quality effects on table grapes or when used to produce wine. 3AEY was considered by the regulatory authority to give a similar level of control to existing commercial chemical fungicides.

3AEY was recently granted authorization by the zonal Member State Malta for the prevention and cure of botrytis in table and wine grapes. Following this authorization, the relevant Member States in the southern regulatory zone have 120 days to grant national authorizations thereby allowing sales in key grape growing countries, including three of the top five global grape producers. Eden's commercialization partners such as K&N Efthymiadis, Sipcam and Sumi Agro France are now preparing for product launches following authorization.

Eden's Chief Executive, Sean Smith, commented "We are very pleased to see the first approval of 3AEY coming through over the traditionally-quiet summer months. K&N Efthymiadis is a well-known and established company in Greece, and we are confident that they will prove to be a good partner to maximize the distribution of 3AEY as well as new 'Eden' agrochemical products as and when they become commercially available. Though small, Greece is one of the top fifteen grape producers in the world by acreage. Thus, as both an indicator of regulatory progress and as a commercial opportunity, we are pleased with this news and look forward to further national approvals in due course and the launch of product in Greece in early 2016."

K&N Efthymiadis' Chief Executive, Vassos Efthymiadis, commented, "We have been very much looking forward to the launch of 3AEY, as the product has been very well-received by our customers in marketing trials. We are confident that the excellent eco-toxicological and residue characteristics of the product combined with its highly competitive efficacy rate will make this product a great commercial success in the highly sensitive and specialised grape market. Furthermore, we feel that the successful introduction of the product will pave the way for many more products that will use the novel terpene microencapsulation technology developed by Eden."

Source : Syngenta