PHC.L Regulatory News (PHC)

24 July 2024

Plant Health Care plc

 ("Plant Health Care" or the "Company")

Expanded Recommendations to Support Commercial Sales of OBRONA® Biochemical Fungicide for Use on Corn, Soybean, and Wheat

Plant Health Care® (AIM.PHC.L), a leading provider of peptides used by growers to improve crop production and quality within global agriculture markets, is pleased to announce the issuance of new recommendations for use of OBRONA® biochemical fungicide to provide farmers with another tool to control a wide range of diseases and improve crop yield and harvest quality in corn, soybean and wheat in key US states.

Highlights:

- The new Section 2(ee) recommendations cover the use of OBRONA to control diseases in the following crops:

· Control in corn of common rust, gray leaf spot, northern and southern corn leaf blight and tar spot,

· Control in soybean of downy mildew, frogeye leaf spot, sclerotinia stem rot, and white mold,

· Control in wheat of multiple rust species: black, leaf, stem, stripe, and yellow rust. 

- These diseases represent serious threats to agricultural production and can significantly reduce crop yields, harvest quality, and grower profitability if not properly managed. OBRONA provides growers with a novel mode of action and an environmentally friendly tool to control these diseases and support sustainable agriculture based on reduced reliance on established synthetic pesticides. 

Section 2(ee) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) allows users to apply pesticides under certain limited conditions that are not specified on the commercial label. The recommendations shown above have been written to address control of target pests not listed on the OBRONA label.

Compared to current biocontrol products, OBRONA provides highly consistent and convenient product performance to control a broad spectrum of fungal and bacterial plant diseases. In addition to providing growers with a favorable return on investment, OBRONA brings growers convenience as it is compatible with many commonly used fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides in tank-mix and sequential application programs. OBRONA has no special requirements for storing or handling, which allows greater flexibility within the distribution channel and ease of on-farm application.

Jeff Tweedy, CEO of Plant Health Care, said: ‟Wilbur-Ellis is aggressively launching OBRONA this summer across the mid-west for disease control in corn, soybean and wheat. Results from field testing of OBRONA are very promising and we are excited to continue working with Wilbur-Ellis to bring the benefits of OBRONA to a wide range of growers across the country for the 2024 season."

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For further information, please contact: 

For further information about Wilbur-Ellis, please contact: Jeanne Forbis, jforbis@wilburellis.com

About Plant Health Care

Plant Health Care offers products to improve the health, vigour and yield of major field crops such as corn, soybeans, sugarcane, potatoes, rice, and wheat, as well as specialty crops such as fruits and vegetables. We operate globally through subsidiaries, distributors, and supply agreements with major industry partners. Our innovative, patent-protected biological products help growers to protect their crops from stress and diseases, and to produce higher quality fruit and vegetables, with a favourable environmental profile.

Find out more at www.planthealthcare.com

About the Wilbur-Ellis Companies 

Founded in 1921, the Wilbur-Ellis companies are leading marketers, distributors and manufacturers of agricultural products and animal nutrients. By developing strong relationships, making strategic market investments, and capitalizing on new opportunities, the Wilbur-Ellis companies have continued to grow the business with sales of over $3.5 billion. For more information, please visit www.wilburellis.com

Wilbur-Ellis Agriculture, with annual sales revenue of $2.5 billion, has over 150 retail locations throughout the U.S.