New fungicide to treat grey rot

UK firm Eden Research PLC has gained regulatory approval in New Zealand for its fungicide to treat plants with grey rot.

Grey Rot or Botrytis as it is known is a fungal disease that is hard to manage for the organic community and this new treatment helps to manage it.

Until now organic and biodynamic producers must use the chemical copper sulphate, a known carcinogenic, heavy metal pollutant and broad spectrum insecticide that the EU has been trying to ban for a number of years.

Eden Reseach markets the bio-fungacide as Mevalone and has three active chemicals Geraniol, Eugenol and Thymol. All three can be manufactured from organic material. One of the clever tricks it has is to wrap the active chemicals such that when it rains the chemicals are released. The microcapsules are naturally sourced, micro-spheres derived from yeast extract, making the entire product suitable for organic farmers.
After trials in a number of dry European countries it was found to be almost as effective as the standard treatment.