BOOSTER-Mag update

2020 promises to be a great year for BOOSTER-Mag, with registration as a crop protection product now submitted and pending in Australia, and many more developments globally both in the lab and the field.

Who is AFEPASA?

AFEPASA was founded in 1893 by Juan Pallarés Bosch under the name of ‘Azufrera y Fertilizantes Pallarés, SAU’. It began its business activity with the commercialisation of salt and installed a mill for its grinding. In a short time, it extended its activity to the milling of sulphur for agricultural use, focused mainly on the marketing of the product for crop protection, achieving a strong position in vine cultivation. In the 70s, and thanks to the fact that sulphur became an essential element in industrial processes, new markets opened up, such as the rubber, tyre, metallurgy and animal feed industries. In 2002, a new production centre was opened in Constantí, one of the most modern sulphur refineries in Europe, built under the concept of development sustainable in the future.

AFEPASA Mg commercialisation strategy

With more than 125 years of experience, AFEPASA is committed to protecting the environment and contributing towards sustainable agriculture. With this aim, it bases activity on one fundamental pillar: innovation in all its products and manufacturing processes. Made using Calix technology, AFEPASA Mg shares the key physical attributes and benefits of Calix nano-active MgO and Mg(OH)2 materials, including the non-lethal, beneficial insect suppression of crop pests and pathogens but without the health and safety concerns associated with standard crop protection chemicals. AFEPASA believes the product will be an important new tool for preventative crop protection and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes and will let growers substantially reduce conventional pesticide use, improving grower sustainability, productivity and improving safety outcomes for both growers and consumers.

AFEPASA managing director Manuel Montana said:

“For over 125 years, AFEPASA has supplied sulphur fertilisers and products for the sustainable control of crop pests and diseases. Calix’s bioactive magnesium hydroxide has the potential to be a powerful and highly complementary addition to our mineral fertiliser and crop protection portfolio.”

PERCENTAGE EFFECT ON POWDERY MILDEW

Results from further field trials.

AFEPASA Mg, containing Calix’s “nano-active” MgO, was introduced to a conventional treatment program, reducing the normal chemical dose on vines against powdery mildew.

Applying AFEPASA Mg enabled the farmer to reduce normal chemical treatment by 25%, as well as achieving a better crop protection outcome against powdery mildew, a notoriously difficult grape disease to treat.

Additionally, AFEPASA Mg alone was able to achieve a crop protection outcome nearly as good as conventional chemical treatment.

Meanwhile in Australia…

With the support of AusIndustry and grant funding provided through its Accelerated Commercialisation programme, Calix has now completed a five-year development and testing programme culminating in the January 2020 submission of a technical dossier to the APVMA* in support of the application by Calix for the registration of BOOSTER-Mag as a crop protection product in Australia. The initial label will describe its use in the suppression of whiteflies, two-spotted mites, thrips and aphids in tomatoes and cucurbits. These initial label claims will be extended in the future to cover additional pests, pathogens and crops.

All agricultural products that have or claim a clear role in pest, weed, or plant disease control must by law be assessed by the APVMA before they can be legally sold in Australia. For farmers, food producers, the chemical industry and the general public, registration indicates that claims have been rigorously assessed and verified and the product may be supplied or sold, and used safely, according to the label directions. This is another great milestone for BOOSTER-Mag.

*Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority is the Australian Government statutory agency responsible for the management and regulation of all agricultural and veterinary chemical products in Australia.