10th Mar 2008 07:00
Plant Impact PLC10 March 2008 Press Release 10 March 2008 Plant Impact plc ("Plant Impact" or "the Company") BugOil(R) - trial results show superior ability for pest control Plant Impact plc (AIM:PIM), a global developer of technologies that improve cropproductivity by combating the negative effects of environmental stress, todayannounces positive results following completion of the analysis of 25 concurrentfield trials on its proprietary, benign insect and mite control agent, BugOil(R), held during the last six months in seven different countries. These resultshighlight BugOil's pest control abilities which are at least equal to those ofcommonly used pesticides, in addition to its significant environmental andsafety benefits. A number of field trials using BugOil, conducted by third parties, includingcontract research organisations, to regulatory standards (Good ExperimentalPractice), on high-value crops such as ornamentals, fruit and vegetables,demonstrated that BugOil has the following benefits when compared with standardtreatments: • Significant pest-repellent properties when applied ahead of crop planting, reflected in an increased average crop yield in tomatoes of 42% against standard. • Broad-spectrum pest coverage, particularly for ornamentals such as cut flowers. • Several trials indicated increasing evidence of efficacy, suggesting that BugOil is at least equal to, if not better than, current industry standards. An example of efficacy when measured against standard is in the control of mites on Chrysanthemums, in which BugOil showed 100% control of mites three days after application whereas the standard achieved this level only 14 days after application. Similar results were evidenced on other pests such as whitefly, thrips and aphids. The global ornamental plant market alone has an estimated value of US$540million a year with an anticipated growth rate of 4% to 5%. In addition, BugOil offers a number of important safety and environmentalbenefits. As a benign agent it leaves no harmful residues and offers pesticideoperators a safe way to minimize the risk of pesticide poisoning. Harmfulresidues on crops and operator safety are key regulatory and consumer concerns.Finding a safe and effective method of pest control without so many of theassociated health and environmental side effects remains a key target for foodproducers. Peter Blezard, CEO of Plant Impact, commented: "It is of no great surprise thatBugOil, with its compelling list of pest control abilities and significantenvironmental and safety benefits, is attracting considerable interest from someof the largest global players in the agrochemical industry. We look forward tooffering BugOil on a broad commercial scale as it offers a credible answer tomany of the most pressing issues on global pesticide use today." - Ends - For further information, please contact: Plant Impact plcMichael Panteli, Finance Director Tel: + 44 (0) 1772 333 [email protected] www.plantimpact.com Grant Thornton Corporate FinanceNominated AdviserPhilip Secrett/Colin Aaronson Tel: +44 (0) 20 7383 [email protected] [email protected] Hichens, Harrison & Co.Jeremy Chantry Tel: +44 (0) 20 7382 [email protected] www.hichens.com Fiske plcJames Harrison Tel: +44 (0) 20 7448 [email protected] www.fiskeplc.com Media enquiries: Abchurch Communications LimitedJustin Heath/Ashley Tapp/Monique Tsang Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 [email protected] www.abchurch-group.com About Plant Impact plc Plant Impact addresses the increasing global demand for effective, sustainableand ecologically-sound products to combat environmental plant stress and improvecrop productivity. Common environmental plant stresses include drought,salinity, nutrient deficiencies, pests and disease. Plant Impact's advancesproduce practical results that reduce inputs and benefit the whole of theagricultural value chain, providing solutions for growers, food manufacturersand consumers. A broad product portfolio has been developed using these innovative andproprietary eco-technologies, the most advanced of which are already beingmarketed and sold through established agricultural distribution networks.Products for the home and garden market are also distributed direct to consumersthrough reputable high street stores. Current Plant Impact products include: • Alethea(R) - resistance to climate, water and salt stress • CaTTM - resistance to physiological disorders • SpeedoTM - accelerated maturation (more harvests) • PiNTTM - yield improvement in marginal soils • BugOil(R) - benign pest control For further information please visit www.plantimpact.com About BugOil(R) BugOil(R) is a benign insect and mite control agent derived from essential plantoil technology that offers highly effective control in a non-toxic,environmentally friendly method. The pests targeted by BugOil are mites,whitefly, thrips and aphids; these pests are some of the most damaging and mostdifficult to control as they reproduce quickly in mass numbers and can buildresistance to conventional pest control agents. BugOil has been trialledextensively across a broad spectrum of crops on a wide variety of target pestsagainst the current leading synthetic standards with exceptional results. Aregistration dossier is currently being compiled for EU Annex I and US EPAregistration. BugOil technology: • High level of efficacy against most current synthetic standards. • Based totally on food-grade materials already in the human food chain (at levels higher than in the product) • Safe for many non-target organisms including mammals, fish, birds, and most beneficial insects (bees, earthworms, lacewings, ladybirds) • No residues and no harvest dwell • Non-toxic and environmentally friendly. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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