Canadian based MustGrow Biologics Corp. is pleased to announce successful postharvest trials in both disease control and sprout suppression of stored potatoes conducted by a third-party independent laboratory. MustGrow says in a press release that its organic mustard plant-based technology outperformed leading synthetic chemical standards for treatment of stored potatoes for both Fusarium dry rot disease and sprouting.
The company says no combination solutions currently exist that treat both disease and sprouting – making MustGrow’s application unique in addressing both postharvest issues in potatoes simultaneously.
MustGrow’s postharvest development program may now transition to Sumitomo Corporation across the Americas (potatoes and bananas) and Bayer across Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (potatoes only). Further testing and trials are required to evaluate commercial potential. Additional postharvest applications may also be trialed, including disease control in large shipping containers.
MustGrow had previously announced separate collaboration agreements with Sumitomo Corporation and Bayer to evaluate the efficacy and commercial potential of MustGrow’s technology.
Disease Control – Fusarium Dry Rot
MustGrow’s mustard-derived technology was trialed versus hydrogen peroxide, a leading synthetic chemistry standard, to measure control (kill) of Fusarium dry rot (Fusarium sambucinum conidia and F. sambucinum). MustGrow’s technology outperformed the chemical standard at multiple rates with statistical significance. Disease control was measured after the 5-week interval, highlighting the effectiveness of MustGrow’s technology at killing not only the Fusarium dry rot itself, but also the disease’s ability to reform and replicate.
Exhibit 1: Quartered potatoes photographed after 5 weeks. Dark patches represent Fusarium dry rot.
Sprout Inhibition Success
MustGrow says its mustard-derived technology outperformed the chemical standard in sprout suppression, chlorpropham (“CIPC”), at multiple rates with statistical significance after the 5-week period. Additionally, sprouts still remained absent at the conclusion of the trial, highlighting the MustGrow technology’s outperformance.
Sprout suppression utilizing MustGrow’s technology demonstrated over 2x the length of control over the CIPC standard rate during the 5-week study. MustGrow’s technology, mustard-derived AITC, has a short ‘half-life’ of 24-72 hours, whereas CIPC is known to accumulate within walls, surfaces, conveyor belts and facility concrete, with no sanitization procedure able to completely eliminate its presence. CIPC has been banned by the European Union as of Oct. 8, 2020.
Exhibit 2: Potato sprouts photographed after 5 weeks
Excerpt from third-party laboratory report: “The MustGrow experimental treatments provide control of both sprouting and Fusarium dry rot in stored potatoes. With pressure globally on chlorpropham as a sprout control for table potatoes, this treatment shows considerable promise as a single treatment to manage several major storage issues.”
Source: MustGrow Biologics Corp
Further information:
Corey Giasson, Director & CEO
Phone: +1-306-668-2652
info@mustgrow.ca
https://mustgrow.ca/
