Industry support for BOTRY-Zen biological product

Friday 22 October 2004.

“Industry support for BOTRY-Zen biological product”.

The New Zealand grape and wine industry, promotes itself as “the riches of a clean green land”, is most encouraged by the latest season’s field trial work where the BOTRY-Zen biological product has been successfully used in the fight against Botrytis cinerea infection.

The Botrytis grape disease costs the local grape-growing industry approximately $58m annually in lost production and infection control measures.

Philip Manson, Science & Innovation Manager for New Zealand Winegrowers, yesterday confirmed that the industry has been closely involved in the BOTRY-Zen progress since the industry first provided funding assistance to HortResearch scientists to undertake development work in 1998. The BOTRY-Zen product, “the baby” of NZX-listed company Botry-Zen Limited since June 2001, Winegrowers is poised for limited commercial release in New Zealand this season and then full international release once the necessary off-shore registration steps are completed.

"After seeing the recent trial results we are more enthusiastic than ever that we will soon have a commercially practical and successful biological option available to growers particularly for early to mid season control of Botrytis.” said Mr Manson.

“The company (Botry-Zen Limited) has successfully developed the product to a point where it works well, comes in a user-friendly water dispersible granule formulation and has good shelf life which exceeds six months.” said Mr Manson.

“A major element of the New Zealand wine industry’s national and international development strategy” said Philip Manson, “is the promotion of this country’s unique green agricultural image and as part of this approach we have always been committed towards trying to find sustainable “soft options” where disease control is concerned…..BOTRY-Zen meets the criteria consistent with meeting these goals”.

New Zealand Winegrowers and HortResearch Limited have been contributing parties in securing patent protection of BOTRY-Zen in key international grape-growing countries.

ENDS

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