DAVIS, Calif. (May 16, 2008) – AgraQuest Inc., a leading provider of effective and safe pest management products inspired by nature, announced today that it has received EPA approval for use of SERENADE® MAX and ASO on a variety of new crops.
Newly approved registrations include SERENADE MAX and ASO on cereal grain crops for Powdery Mildew, Rust, and Leaf Spot; SERENADE ASO on canola for white mold; SERENADE ASO on pulse crops for white mold; and SERENADE ASO on berries for Anthracnose and Alternaria. Growers are always required to follow label directions.
SERENADE was first introduced to the U.S. agriculture market in 2000 and is now sold into more than 30 countries globally. SERENADE MAX is a wettable-powder formulation, while SERENADE ASO is an aqueous suspension (liquid) formulation. Both are derived from a naturally occurring bacterium, Bacillus subtilis, which offers growers an effective, yet safe, alternative to traditional synthetic chemistries.
“Key grain and vegetable growers now have an effective tool that can provide greater disease control, increased yield, and an improved overall value” said Chris Coombs, VP, North America for AgraQuest.
SERENADE has a zero-day pre-harvest interval and a four-hour restricted entry interval providing growers minimal interruption following sprays.
AgraQuest recently completed a $20 million round of mezzanine financing that gives the company the financial resources to capitalize on growing market opportunities and help fund new product launches. The pipeline of products includes bio-insecticides that complement the existing bio-fungicides – SERENADE, SONATA®, BALLAD® and RHAPSODY® – for the pre-harvest crop protection market, as well as naturally inspired products for the post-harvest, fumigant, seed treatment, and food safety markets among others.
About AgraQuest
AgraQuest is a biotechnology company that focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing effective, safe and environmentally friendly natural pest management products for agricultural, institutional and home markets. The company sells SERENADE®, SERENADE® Garden, RHAPSODY®, SONATA® and BALLAD® fungicides and BARITONE™ insecticide in the U.S. market and around the world. AgraQuest received the Presidential Green Chemistry Award from the U.S. EPA for the discovery and commercialization of SERENADE. In 2004, AgraQuest received a Red Herring Top 100 Private Company Award and the World Technology Award for the Environment.