18th Jan 2010 07:00
18 January 2010
Plant Impact Plc
("Plant Impact" or the "Company")
Plant Impact: finalist at 2010 Grower of the Year Awards
Plant Impact plc (AIM: PIM), a global developer of technologies that improve crop productivity, is pleased to announce that its technologies have again received industry acclaim - with its pioneering INCA product being nominated as a finalist for the category of "Technical Product of the Year" at this year's Grower of the Year Awards.
INCA, a calcium absorption aid that targets calcium nutrition in plants, is a bespoke product that Plant Impact has developed from its own proprietary patented CaT technology In trials, CaT delivered calcium to plants up to 50 times more effectively than traditional calcium products, with fewer applications and less input. Extensively tested throughout the world on a broad spectrum of crops, CaT has secured sales in 24 countries.
INCA alleviates the problems caused by calcium deficiencies encountered by growing crops that suffer environmental stress, caused by drought, heat and cold conditions, and physiological diseases incurred in the ongoing development of the fruit. The technology enables calcium uptakes and retention in the tissues of plants that do not absorb calcium naturally under normal growing conditions.
The Annual Grower of the Year Awards are organised by HayMarket Events and run by respected industry titles that include Horticultural Week and Grower magazine, in association with ASDA, the Horticultural Association and the National Farmers' Union.
2010 sees 19 Grower of the Year Award categories, with 30 companies making-up the roll call of esteemed finalists. The judging panel is comprised of respected industry professionals including: horticultural consultant, Andy Richardson of the Allium & Brassica Centre; nursery stock consultant John Adlam; British Independent Fruit Growers Association chairman, John Breach; ADAS consultant and Horticultural Week columnist Andrew Hewson; chief executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium Nigel Jenney; and industry consultant John Tugman.
Additionally, Plant Impact announces that it has secured recognition from the UK Government as an innovator in the field of food security following international development with its sphere of activities extended to Brazil. Key technologies include the unique amine fertiliser (PiNT) and the Company's CaT technology products.
Plant Impact CEO, Peter Blezard commented, "I am immensely proud that such a prestigious panel of judges from our industry have seen fit to recognise INCA by short listing us for this award. It further demonstrates that our focus on marketing CaT Technology is providing the agricultural industry with an efficacious and commercially beneficial new delivery system that assists in the yield gap the world requires. CaT is beneficial for consumers, growers and distributors. We are already selling INCA in 24 countries and will be extending the current field trial programme to increasingly involve third party contract research organisations to independently validate technical data in our quest to further develop our global markets and sales".
He added: "We also appreciate such enthusiastic support from the UK Government and are determined to make a significant contribution towards alleviating global food security concerns by helping to ensure that the quality and marketable yields of fruit and vegetable products reach levels that enable the demands of an ever rising world population to be met, whilst, at the same time, contributing environmentally friendly technologies that reduce nitrogen consumption to limit the detrimental impact and extent of climate change".
The award winners for each category will be announced at a presentation dinner on Thursday, 11 February 2010 at the Wyndham Grand, Chelsea Harbour, London.
For further information, please contact:
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Plant Impact Plc |
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Peter Blezard, CEO |
Tel: +44 (0)1772 645 164 |
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Mike Panteli, CFO |
Tel: +44 (0)1772 645 165 |
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Trade/Corporate PR De Facto Communications |
+44 (0) 207 861 3838 |
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Financial PR/IR |
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Conduit PR |
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Charlie Geller |
Tel: +44 (0)20 7429 6604 |
Notes for Editors
About Plant Impact plc
Plant Impact addresses the increasing global demand for effective, sustainable and ecologically-sound products to combat environmental plant stress and improve crop productivity. Common environmental plant stresses include drought, salinity, nutrient deficiencies, pests and disease. Plant Impact's advances produce practical results that reduce inputs and benefit the whole of the agricultural value chain, providing solutions for growers, food manufacturers and consumers.
A broad product portfolio has been developed using these innovative and proprietary technologies, the most advanced of which are already being marketed and sold through established agricultural distribution networks. Products for the home and garden market are also distributed direct to consumers through reputable high street stores.
Current Plant Impact technologies include:
CaT - higher yield, improved shelf life, reduction of physiological disorders
Alethea® - resistance to climate, water and salt stress
Speedo™ - accelerated plant growth
PiNT™ - higher yielding stronger plants
BugOil® - benign pest control
About PiNT
PiNT technology is a yield maximiser. It is a unique controlled Nitrogen release technology that promotes improved growth habit and vigour. It slows the natural breakdown of desirable amine and ammonium nitrogen to undesirable nitrate and minimizes leaching. In addition, PiNT technology unlocks trace elements around the roots, even in calcareous or high pH soils making them ready for efficient uptake by the plant. This results in a 'no-cost' nutrient supply, improved quality and yield, reduced pesticide/fertilizer input, lower cost and increased profit. The principle products are PiNT Calcium and PiNT Potassium.
The technology
Improves yield
Improves productive life of the crop
Delivers Nitrogen in amine form
Encourages strong root growth, bud and fruit development
Reduces leaching
A comprehensive range of products is available from Plant Impact incorporating PiNT technology in combination with different micronutrients to meet every requirement.
About CaT
CaT technology is a calcium absorption aid. In trials it has been found to deliver calcium to the plant up to 50 times more effectively than traditional calcium products and with fewer applications and less input.
CaT alleviates the problems encountered by growing crops under environmental stress (drought, heat, cold) and physiological diseases in the ongoing development of the fruit that are often due to calcium deficiencies. This technology enables calcium uptake and retention in the tissues of the plant that would not naturally absorb calcium under normal growing conditions.
The Company has recently produced results that demonstrate the efficacy of its technology in trials with lettuces, strawberries, apples and pears. The trials were carried out in the Netherlands by independent research companies and in the USA by Miller Chemical. The improvement in yield and disease control has been material across the range of trials conducted, in particular, a 15% yield increase in lettuce, a 1.8 metric
tonnes per hectare increase in strawberries, a 60% decrease in bitter pit on apples and a 75% reduction in alfalfa greening disorder on pears were recorded.
About BugOil®
BugOil® is a benign insect and mite control agent derived from essential plant oil 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 most difficult to control as they reproduce quickly in mass numbers and can build resistance to conventional pest control agents.
Independent field trials conducted on BugOil® have demonstrated that the product has pest control abilities at least equal to, if not better, than those of current industry-standard insecticides. BugOil® also provides broad-spectrum pest coverage, particularly for ornamentals such as cut flowers. All field trials were conducted to regulatory standard by independent third parties on high-value crops such as ornamentals, fruit and vegetables. To date, successful field trials have been conducted on BugOil in the USA, UK, Europe and Africa.
BugOil® technology:
High level of efficacy equivalent to most current synthetic standards;
Based totally on natural plant extracts;
Safe for many non-target organisms including mammals, fish, birds, and most
Beneficial insects (bees, earthworms, lacewings, ladybirds);
Non-toxic and environmentally friendly.
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