LONDON: Plant Health Care (AIM: PHC.L), a leading provider of novel, patent-protected biological products to global agriculture markets, announced a trials agreement with Agrii UK under which Agrii will evaluate Plant Health Care’s novel PREtec technology.
Highlights
- Preliminary Plant Health Care studies indicate promising results with PREtec products in potatoes, resulting in improved potato quality and yield, with significantly lower environmental impact than many agrochemical treatments.
- Agrii will now conduct field trials of PREtec products on UK potatoes, in combination with a novel Agrii UK fertilizer blend.
- If trials prove successful, Plant Health Care and Agrii UK will, subject to regulatory and other approvals, look at opportunities to bring the product to market in 2023.
- Agrii is a leading provider of crop inputs, agronomy advice and services to arable, fruit and vegetable growers in the UK.
Background
Plant Health Care has invested more than $25 million in its PREtec peptide technology platform (“Vaccines for Plants”).PREtec is a novel class of technology which stimulates a plants’ immune system to defend itself from a variety of abiotic stresses to improve plant health and yield. Derived from natural proteins, PREtec is an environmentally friendly approach to protecting crops and is compatible with mainstream agricultural practices.
The Company plans to deliver at least one major launch of a PREtec product every year. Saori was the first product to be launched from the PREtec platform, in Brazil in 2021.Similar launches of PREtec technology are planned for US markets in 2022 and 2023.
Pressure on farmers to move to more sustainable practices is very strong in Europe. As a result, Europe is now the largest market in the world for biological products. The commencement of field trials in the UK is a key step for Plant Health Care in preparing to launch a PREtec product in Europe.
With more than 140 thousand hectares of potatoes planted annually in the UK, the crop represents a significant target for Plant Health Care. Extension to other crops in the UK is expected over time.
Jeff Tweedy, CEO of Plant Health Care said, ‟Plant Health Care has had a long-term successful relationship with Agrii UK for the distribution of our ProAct® product. I am very pleased now to continue the relationship to include trials for PREtec-based fertilizer products and explore the full potential of this new opportunity with a leading distributor in the agriculture sector in the UK.”