Mar 23, 2017

Marrone Bio launches Haven for sun stress reduction

Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) is expanding beyond biopesticides and crop protection and into the biostimulant market by commercially launching Haven Anti-transpirant for use in a broad range of fruit, nut and vegetable crops, in addition to corn, wheat and turf.

Anti-transpirants are compounds applied to the leaves of plants to reduce transpiration, the evaporation of water from plant leaves to cool plants, according to MBI. In stressful environments, such as intense sunlight or drought, excess transpiration causes significant damage to crops.

Haven is derived from plant-based compounds that reflect light and heat to maintain lower leaf temperatures while at the same time reducing water loss, resulting in less stress to the crop and higher yields and quality, according to the company. When two to four applications are sprayed on crops generally starting at early fruit/nut set, Haven has reduced sun stress and increased yields for certain apple varieties, almonds, walnuts, grapes, citrus, tomatoes, corn, wheat and turf.

Haven leaves no visible deposit or residue on the crop, according to MBI.

Various market research firms estimate the biostimulant market at approximately $1.5 billion in 2015, growing by 10.4 percent to 13.6 percent annually to reach more than $3 billion in 2021 or 2022 (MarketsandMarkets, Zion Market Research and Mordor Intelligence). In 2013, Piper Jaffray estimated the biostimulant market at $1 billion with a 20 percent compounded annual growth rate. The biopesticide market, which includes pest management/crop protection products is estimated at $3 billion this year, growing at similar annual rates as biostimulants (BCC Research, MarketsandMarkets, Agropages).

For more information, visit www.marronebio.com.