WINTER PARK, FL: (October 26, 2017) KeyPlex is pleased to announce the launch of Sporan® EC broad-spectrum fungicide and bactericide. Sporan recently received OMRI approval and its active ingredients – rosemary, clove and thyme oil – are all on the EPA exemption list.

“Sporan perfectly integrates into a disease management program, especially when you are close to harvest and need something effective,” says KeyPlex CEO Gerald O’Connor. “With a zero reentry interval, zero pre- and post-harvest intervals, Sporan keeps workers in the field while still providing disease protection to the crop.”

The active molecules in botanical oils have complex modes of action (MOA), unlike some pesticides that rely on single molecules. Because of the complexity of the molecules, pathogens are less likely to develop resistance. Peppermint, rosemary and clove oil molecules each have different modes of action; when they are combined they make an effective, fast-acting contact fungicide, working by disrupting the cell membranes of fungi and spores.

The maximum residue level (MRL) factor is becoming a big issue if you are exporting fruit, O’Connor says. Botanical oils are a naturally occurring material and dissipate in plant cells very quickly. Because the botanical oils used are on the EPA 25b exempt list, there is close to zero MRL.

In addition, Sporan EC can be easily tank-mixed with other products, including other fungicides, biopesticides, micronutrients, fertilizers. It can be used on a wide range of crops, from strawberries or tomatoes to blueberries and cucurbits, and controls diseases including Alternaria, Anthracnose, Botrytis, downy mildew, gray mold, rust and scab.

“I look at Sporan as another tool in the toolbox when growers need control, but also need to send pickers in so they don’t lose their crops,” O’Connor says. “While we are very pleased with the OMRI approval, more than 50 percent of our sales are coming from conventional growers. If botanicals are used on a regular basis in a pest management program, alternating with traditional chemistries, they can have a positive economic impact on your operation.”

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About KeyPlex: Founded in 1980, KeyPlex serves the agricultural and the mosquito abatement community with highly-effective plant nutritionals and bio-control products. KeyPlex provides effective, safe products growers can trust. The company’s ongoing research and development programs with customers, scientists, science advisory panel (SAP) and leading research universities enjoy a reputation for a heritage of excellence.