Certis Biologicals expands portfolio with acquisition of fungicides

Certis Biologicals acquired assets from AgBiome, including fungicides Howler and Theia. The deal took place in the United States. Under the interim leadership of Jow-Lih Su, Certis Biologicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., consolidates its position in the biopesticides sector.

"We are dedicated to contributing to the growing biologics market," said Su. “Incorporating these proprietary technologies into our expanding portfolio will help ensure continuity in the market and allow us to continue bringing innovative solutions to agriculture.”

The addition of Howler and Theia fungicides significantly expands the reach of Certis Biologicals, which already has more than 40 products aimed at effectively controlling pests, diseases and weeds in greenhouse, specialty and large-scale crops.

Chris Judd (pictured), vice president of North America at Certis Biologicals, highlighted the importance of the acquisition: “Howler and Theia complement our existing portfolio of biofungicides, including Double Nickel and our latest large-scale crop product, Convergence. . These products will constitute a portfolio of fungicides that can provide unparalleled control for all growers, from specialty, high-value crops to large-scale commodity crops.”

Howler, which uses Pseudomonas chlororaphis AFS0, offers control through multiple modes of action against diseases that threaten grapes, vegetables, tuber and root crops, berries, pome fruits and other specialty crops. As an OMRI-listed product and registered in all US states, Howler can be used in all phases of production, from greenhouse, pre-planting to harvest, thanks to its 0-day PHI.

Theia, on the other hand, uses Bacillus subtilis AFS032321. It is a broad-spectrum, OMRI-listed biological that controls soil and foliar diseases such as alternaria, downy mildew, phytophthora, powdery mildew and pythium on a wide variety of crops, including citrus, cucurbits, grapes, stone fruits and fruit-bearing vegetables.