May 2021 - 8

Hybrid use puts Regev in 'game-changer' mode
By Gary Pullano
Editor
A hybrid fungicide approved in 2020
by the EPA for use in the United States
had previously been used successfully
in 14 countries.
When Israel-based STK Bio-ag
Technologies rolled out the product
in America with the help of its
distribution partner, Summit Agro
USA, Regev " hybrid " fungicide
was hailed as a " significant gamechanger, "
by Julia Levy, STK Bio-ag
Technologies' director of business
development.
" STK has been successful in U.S.
markets for several years with its
botanical-based biofungicide Timorex
Gold, " Levy said in an interview
with Vegetable Growers News. " Now
comes Regev, which is a 'bridge' for
many growers who have never tried
a product with biological content.
That's because Regev is a 'pre-mix,'
so it is easy for the grower to use in
exactly the same way as his current
chemical fungicide. Nevertheless,
with Regev, the grower gets the added
benefits of reduced chemical inputs,
lower chemical residues of his fruit
and vegetables, a dual mode of action
providing outstanding management
resistance and much higher yields. "
" We're very enthusiastic about
introducing Regev to the U.S., " Levy
said. " We've been doing field trials
there for more than three years now.
The results are excellent. Growers
there are really enthusiastic about the
product, as are we to work with them. "
Regev, touted as the first potent
hybrid fungicide in the market, has
a unique activity that presents a low
probability for the development of
resistance or cross-resistance in plant
pathogens, its developers found.
The hybrid formulation contains
200 g/lit difenoconazole + 400 g/lit
tea tree extract. Trials have shown
this formulation provides various
plant defense mechanisms of action
including systematic acquired
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resistance and induced systematic
resistance for improved efficacy
in plant disease control and the
cultivation of successful crop yields.
Outreach to growers
" The three main markets in
agricultural pesticides are the EU,
the USA and Brazil, " Yair Nativ, vice
president of sales at STK Bio-ag
Technologies, told VGN. " Getting Regev
registered in the U.S. is a huge step for
us. Brazil will follow in, I believe, in two
to three years. And then it's Europe's
turn. It will take a long time to register
in the EU due to all the regulations. "
Regev has already been registered
in Israel, Serbia, the Philippines and
various Latin American countries, and
is in the registration process in Brazil,
the U.S and the EU.
" We've been working on Regev
for the last eight years, " Nativ said.
" The question now is how to pass this
experience to growers as quickly as
possible. We consider this product
to be the bridge to the biopesticide
future. "
The vast majority of growers,
including those in the fruit and
vegetable sector, have never used or
even tried biological products, Nativ
said. " Regev is a much easier product
to use, understand and see its benefits. "
Regev is a premix, hybrid product.
Growers can use it exactly the same
way they're using their current
chemical fungicide, Nativ said. " But,
now they have the benefits of lower
residue on their products, improved
resistance management and higher
yields. All that makes the growers
more competitive. "
One of the main challenges currently
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facing STK Bio-ag Technologies in
America is getting Regev registered
in California. Nativ expects that will
happen within a year. " California's
a huge agricultural state within the
U.S. So, that's essential. We also need
to introduce the product to as many
growers as possible, in the shortest
time possible. "
Regev has two main advantages, Nativ
said. " Firstly, the product contains two
active ingredients. One is chemical, the
other natural. That means there's only
one MRL (maximum residue limit) on
the fruit or vegetables. Especially since
people want to eat foods with fewer
and fewer pesticide residues, Regev is
currently particularly suited to crops
that are eaten fresh, such as tomatoes
and grapes. "
Nativ said the second advantage
is allowing the growers to access a
dual mode of action with a very low
probability for the development of
resistance. He said using only one
active ingredient could lead to the
build-up of resistance. " So, we are
allowing the farmers to use two modes
of action. "
This product can, however, not
be used for organic groups. But,
it can contribute to growing more
sustainable, conventional products.
" We believe that in order to create
sustainable agriculture, you need
to lower the rate of application of
chemicals, " Nativ said. " And biosolutions
is one of the best ways to do
so and remain sustainable. "
" That makes growers more willing
to learn more about it, " Levy said. " Its
biological component provides improved
health and stress resistance. That might
lead farmers to move to a fully natural
product sometime in the future. "
Environmental focus
Nativ said growers are becoming
increasingly environmentally
conscious. " They supply whatever the
public demands. It's all a question of
price and what the customer wants.
Growers are very open to change. They
just need to understand what's needed. "
When it comes to Asia, Regev is, so
far, registered only in the Philippines.
" The Asian market is slower to adapt
to biopesticides, " Nativ said. " But we
do believe we will get there. It will just
take a little longer. "
STK Bio-ag Technologies plans to
introduce another hybrid product to
the market within the next three to
four years.
" In the long term, we have other
products coming to the market, too.
We believe that in 10 to 20 years,
biological fungicides will be far more
widely accepted. But, until then, we
think hybrid products will lead the
way, " Nativ said.
When Summit Agro USA announced
the introduction of the first hybrid
fungicide for U.S. agriculture - Regev,
it was seen as " the next generation
disease control product combines
the benefits of a botanical product
with the advantages of a conventional
fungicide. "
" Regev brings together tea tree oil
and difenoconazole giving growers
across a variety of crops a very
effective disease control product, while
reducing chemical usage and providing
effective resistance management
control, " said Fred Yates, Summit
Agro marketing manager for botanical
products. " The preventative and
curative activity of Regev with a broad
crop and disease control label, plus its
ability to enhance plant growth and
yield all provide significant value to
growers. " VGN
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May 2021

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