Innovative technology to reduce damage of plant fungus and leaf disease

Studies show that about one-third of the food produced in the world is lost due to insect and fungus damage. Two periods in the production cycle are especially problematic: a few weeks before harvest, and after harvest during storage and shipping – as toxic pesticides cannot be used to avoid toxic residues in produce reaching the market.

 

Native American farmers from small farms in Guatemala lose 40 percent of French pea crop to botrytis, Israeli farmers lose entire containers of red pepper that are infected with botrytis to European markets, the shelf life of sweet potato is reduced due to fungi and more …
Farmers face a serious dilemma: chemical pesticides lose efficacy against fungi and are dangerous to farmers and the environment. Regulation does not allow spraying or handling of toxic substances near and after the harvest due to toxic residues.

These trends are leading to a transition to organic, efficient, and affordable agricultural solutions.
The research and literature indicate a number of essential oils that can help cope with leaf diseases, but these oils also damage and cause phytotoxicity the plants and fruit.
In addition, these oils are expensive to use in the field in commercial quantities, and are therefore not relevant as a solution to the farmer.
BotanoHealth has developed a technology that overcomes both challenges, with an innovative formulation technology that increases by 2000% the power and efficiency of the active essential oils.
The innovative product is organic, non-toxic, affordable, and very effective against leaf diseases and fungus.
The use of the product is relevant in the two critical stages of loss of produce: in the weeks prior to harvesting and postharvest during storage and shipping.
The product has been shown to be effective in laboratory experiments at the Volcani Institute in Israel, as well as in field experiments and demonstrations in Europe and the USA.
BotanoHealth plans to use the innovative formulation technology to develop additional products for the crop protection market.

BotanoHealth technology will allow to increase the amount of produce that results at the end of the production chain, and organic protection will allow the farmer to handle produce near the harvest without fear of harm to his health or the environment.
As global population and demand for food increases, BotanoHealth technology allows reducing the staggering 30% food loss due to plant disease and fungus.

 

This article was published in the special issue for FWD 2019