Nichino America & BioConsortia Sign Supply Agreement

BEC-60 is a novel broad-spectrum biofungicide for control of key diseases on important crops

Nichino America, Inc. and BioConsortia, Inc. have announced a supply agreement for Nichino to market and sell BEC-60 biofungicide in the United States and Canada.

BioConsortia invented and developed BEC-60, a novel microbial fungicide. It is a broad-spectrum biofungicide for control of several key diseases in apples, berries, grapes, stone fruits, and vegetables.

Further, Nichino is conducting extensive testing to evaluate BEC-60 on additional pathogens and crops.

“It is exciting to add a biological product to our portfolio,” says Dustin Simmons, president of Nichino America, Inc. “BEC-60 will offer conventional and organic farmers effective control of diseases on important crops, providing a quality yield while managing residues on the final commodity.”

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

“This new partnership with BioConsortia will enable both organizations to utilize their exceptional research and development capabilities to introduce diverse crop protection solutions to align with the demands of today’s agriculture production,” Simmons adds.

To discover BEC-60, BioConsortia leveraged the company’s unique platform for discovery of microbial products.

“Our Advanced Microbial System results in biopesticide products like BEC-60 that offer strong performance for growers,” says Marcus MeadowsSmith, chief executive officer at BioConsortia.

“The integration of microbial and conventional chemistries gives farmers benefits in terms of diverse modes of action to prevent the development of resistance and improved efficacy,” MeadowsSmith notes. “We look forward to Nichino’s launch of this patentprotected product alongside their broad portfolio of crop protection products.”

The registration package for BEC60 has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency and is pending approval with state registrations to follow thereafter. Product launch is anticipated in 2024-’25.