Growth Products’Companion Liquid Biological Fungicide received a new EPA label for all turfgrass and landscape use. The product is designed to prevent, control and suppress a broad range of root and foliar diseases including anthracnose, brown patch, dollar spot, summer patch, fusarium patch, pythium and phytophthora.
Companion’s GB03 strain of Bacillus subtilis has multiple modes of action in preventing and controlling plant diseases. It produces a broad-spectrum antibiotic (Iturin) that disrupts pathogen cell-wall formation. It is a competitive and fast colonizing rhizobacterium that crowds out pathogens preventing their growth and antagonistic effects. In addition, GB03 triggers Induced System Resistance (ISR) in plants, by activating a plant’s natural immune system to fight disease.
Several years of trials at Rutgers and the University of Massachusetts have also shown that Companion can be used in combination with lower rates of chemical fungicides for improved efficacy and/or in rotation with chemical fungicides, thereby reducing chemical applications and total chemical costs.
Growth Products first introduced the Companion line of products to the horticultural market in 2001. With its new label, turf and landscape professionals can now this product on all varieties of turfgrass, shrubs and other landscape materials.
EPA OKs Companion for all turf and landscape use
The biological fungicide product is manufacturered by Growth Products.
