Marrone Bio Innovations is a leading provider of bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agriculture, turf and ornamental and water treatment markets, announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved its latest product, MAJESTENE, a broad spectrum, high performance natural bionematicide for controlling nematodes (roundworms) on a wide range of agricultural crops.
MAJESTENE was developed from in-house discovery screening process and provides growers with a new mode of action for safely controlling nematodes by reducing or stopping eggs from hatching, preventing root galling and reducing nematode population density. Nematodes cause approximately $80 billion annually in damages to crops globally.
“We are pleased with MAJESTENE’S approval by the EPA, as this new bionematicide meets a large market need due to heavy restrictions on toxic chemicals used to control nematodes and the need for easier-to-use biologicals that reduce multiple species of nematode populations,” said Pam Marrone, MBI’s CEO.
“Today’s growers are faced with ever-increasing regulatory restrictions on existing conventional products to reduce exposure to people nearby, to protect non-target beneficial insects, to reduce air and water pollution, to ensure worker safety and to be export-ready. Growers who traditionally employ conventional nematicides for crop protection can now use MAJESTENE, which has multiple modes of action, a low risk to beneficial insects, and an exemption from residue tolerances.” said Brian Ahrens, MBI’s Vice President of Sales.
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 by ground, with no limit on the number of applications allowed per season. MAJESTENE has the minimum four-hour re-entry interval for farm workers. The product is non-toxic to fish, birds and most beneficial insects, and also has the advantages of a zero-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) and an exemption from MRL (maximum residue level) tolerances — a measure of pesticide residue limits that must be met for most food crop exports. MBI is currently applying for state registrations for MAJESTENE.