UK-based IntraCrop’s plant biostimulant Status has been awarded CE Mark Certification for use on a wide range of broad acre crops and woody perennials.

Status is a pure plant biostimulant containing the molecule MTU and pidolic acid, which is designed to influence plant physiology to maximize nutrient uptake and assimilation, mitigate environmental stress factors, and improve crop yield and quality. The CE Mark certification has been granted under PFC 6 (B) of the European Union’s new Fertilising Products Regulation (EU 2019/1009 – the FPR). This means it is now available for use by growers across all 27 member states.

“The new FPR requires manufacturers to provide clear efficacy data to prove that the product meets its label claims,” noted Dr. Mark Palmer, commercial director for IntraCrop. “Status is one of very few products that has been able to evidence label claims for all three key biostimulant effects: stress tolerance, nutrient use efficiency and quality traits including yield.”

Palmer added that in trials of Status, improvements in chlorophyll production and photosynthetic activity typically range from 20-50 percent depending on circumstances, which translate into yield benefits of five to 20 percent.

IntraCrop’s plant biostimulant offers complementary modes of action to increase plant response by combining the effects of MTU on photosynthesis and pidolic acid on nitrogen assimilation. In healthy conditions, Status increases green leaf retention and improves nutrient use efficiency, resulting in higher yield and quality. The company added that in stressed conditions, Status protects the photosynthetic apparatus and improves plant resilience, resulting in quicker stress recovery, protecting yield.

Hailed as a ‘new generation of biostimulants’, Status has undergone more than a decade of stringent trials. Its specific mode of action is well understood, and dose rates have been clearly defined, providing growers with realistic expectations of what it will deliver.

According to Dr. Jaroslav Nisler, of the Czech Academy of Science who led the development of MTU, “MTU achieves remarkable results at very low dose rates (0.5g/ha), which is unique. Status helps a variety of crops cope better with challenging climates by improving nitrogen use efficiency. It builds the resilience required to deal with abiotic stresses which, sadly, are becoming increasingly common in crop production,” he said. “In trials in wheat for example, leaves exposed to periods of drought, heat or salinity remained green for longer and recovered more quickly when treated with Status.”

From:Newaginternational