Bio-Fungicides

PureAg Bio-Fungicides are used in the remediation of diseases that impact crops. Fungal pathogens when controlled through the use of highly toxic chemicals impact the beneficial bacteria adversely. Nature cannot tolerate this vacuum and will adapt negatively or insufficiently to combat disease. The longer the use of commercial chemical fungicides, or misuse, the more profound the problem. Aside from the benefits of fertile, active soil there are direct benefits drawn from the individual species of bacteria that would attack and combat the chemical effects of commercial fungicides.

Bio-Fungicides are becoming more popular with farmers. Plant diseases are the main enemy of agricultural production. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the average annual loss of production due to plant diseases is 10% to 15%. The main means of controlling plant diseases today are chemical fungicides. Health hazards, environmental pollution, non-target organisms, and the development of plant-pathogen resistance, are now taking an uncontrollable toll on commercial farming while biological fungicides are attracting more and more people’s attention and interest.

Bio-Fungicides are generally more preventive rather than curative. It is best to apply them early and often in the production cycle before the pathogens attacks. Early application gives the beneficial microbes, in the Bio-Fungicide, a chance to colonize. This enables them to out- compete and/or attack the pathogen successfully, defending the plant against disease. Biological fungicides differ from chemical fungicides in their modes of action. Chemical fungicides generally have two modes of action. The first is by contact, where the chemical product must come into direct contact with the pathogen. The second mode of action is systemic, where the plant absorbs the chemical. The pathogen is then negatively affected when it attacks the plant. Since biological fungicides are living organisms, they have modes of action that are distinct from those of chemicals. Several of our PureAg products contain microbes that are antagonistic and parasitic to pathogenic fungi. Quite literally, the beneficial microbes attack and feed off of the invading fungi. These beneficial microbes have broad spectrum properties, including the production of antibiotics and/or enzymes. These exudates adversely affect and essentially kill pathogenic fungi. In their weakened state, the pathogens are then far more susceptible to the vegetative bacteria.

PureAg Simply Rootamendary is a biofungicide that is safe, has less impact on non-target organisms and the impact on the ecological environment is beneficial. We use the special disease prevention and growth-promoting function of certain microorganisms or metabolites of microorganisms to achieve the control effect. Rootamendary’s effective active ingredients are derived from natural ecosystems. In fact, the trichoderma creates the inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi. It is easily decomposed by sunlight, plants, or various soil microorganisms creating a material circulation that comes from nature and belongs to nature.

There are basically three types of Bio-Fungicides. The first of these are agricultural antibiotics. PureAg Bacillus Blend would fall into this category. Agricultural antibiotic bactericides are secondary metabolites produced by microbial fermentation processes that inhibit or kill plant pathogens and regulate crop growth and development. For example, Kasugamycin, Jinggangmycin, Polyoxymycin, and Streptomycin. The second type is bacterial fungicide. In recent years, people have gradually recognized the important role of Gram-positive bacteria in biological control. PureAg Biologic Army in particular, has a wide variety of resources. The formation of spores makes them adaptable and resistant to stress. Bacillus subtilis has a good control effect on the plant pathogenic bacteria fusarium and rhizoctonia, and at the same time has the functions of preventing disease and promoting crop growth. The third type is fungal fungicide. PureAg Simply Rootamendary fits in this category. These are the most widely studied and applied fungal fungicides. Trichoderma for example creates the inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi. It has an effect on resistance to various diseases such as blight, sclerotinia, pythium, and botrytis while having a remarkable ability to adapt to bad soil environments & improve soil conditions. Mycorrhizal fungi create a symbiotic relationship increasing the plant’s ability to uptake fixed nutrients and water, improving plant performance. And it increases the surface absorbing area of roots 100 to 1,000 times, thereby greatly improving the ability of the plant to access soil resources.

PureAg products obviously overlap each other on these three categories but have tremendous synergy with each other. Our application strategy is to increase the population and activities of beneficial bacteria and fungi on and around plant tissue. Using the analogy of a parking lot filled to capacity, any new arrivals (disease pathogens) will be unable to find open spaces, and therefore will be forced to “find somewhere else to park”. These synergistic results are possible when certain beneficial microbes weaken the pathogenic fungi’s resistance.

An example of this synergy is with the beneficial bacteria bacillus subtilis, which produces an antibiotic that creates “pinholes” in pathogenic fungi’s cell walls. In their weakened state, the fungi are easy prey for other bacteria. Another important consideration is whether or not the microbes are spore producing (“gram positive”). When gram-positive bacteria are faced with unfavorable conditions, they enter a dormant/spore state. They become active again when the conditions for their survival are favorable.

A successful biological fungicide must also be formulated in a manner that favors both the activity and survival of the microbes it contains. PureAg Bio-Fungicides are powders with no special handling or storage requirements, and a shelf life of more than two years. In a liquid form it is entrained in a bio-surfactant to effect surface tension and allow for immediate absorption and utilization. They are able to be used on a wide range of plants and be effective against a variety of disease pathogens. PureAg also exhibits residual (lasting effects) and offers other ancillary benefits that include, improved root growth and development. Unlike chemical fungicides, bio- fungicides are comprised of all-natural materials. They do not contain chemical salts and phytotoxicity is never a concern. PureAg products are your SAFE and EFFECTIVE solution!