SYDNEY: Australian environmental technology company Calix Limited (ASX: CXL) has received Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) approval for its safe, environmentally-friendly crop protection product, BOOSTER-Mag.
The registration of BOOSTER-Mag is the culmination of six years of scientifically rigorous product and application development and is a major milestone for Calix and its Biotech business. BOOSTER-Mag is the first registration of a magnesium hydroxide insecticide in the world.
This initial registration validates that the unique form of Calix materials can be safely applied to suppress a highly destructive crop pest. With suppression efficacy also apparent on additional crop pests and a variety of crop diseases, the initial registration provides a solid basis to expand the addressable market.
The initial label in Australia allows BOOSTER-Mag to be applied for the suppression of two spotted mite in tomato and cucurbit crops, which present an addressable market opportunity estimated at 16,000 ha in Australia. Both tomato and cucurbit crops are vulnerable to insect pests and disease and, as such, conventional pesticides are critical.
In addition, BOOSTER-Mag is part of several larger field trials overseas where other types of crops and applications (e.g. anti-fungi) are being evaluated.
Calix is developing commercial relationships with specialist global crop protection companies with the expertise and capability to fully utilise Calix’s material bioactivity. BOOSTER-Mag field trials are currently underway to support initial market entry and extend the BOOSTER-Mag label, allowing for its use in major crops in Australia and internationally and increasing the addressable market, which conservatively is estimated at 500,000 ha.