Marrone Bio Innovations Offers the First CEU Course on Biopesticides

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Biopesticide producer sponsors course for credit, customer education

Davis, California (June 15, 2009)--Pest control advisers, private applicators, certified crop advisers and other license holders can now earn continuing education units (CEU) by studying a new course on biopesticides—the first ever on this subject. The course is accessible on the Marrone Bio Innovations Web site (www.marronebioinnovations.com), at the CAPCA Web site capca.com/onlinececourses, and at the Web site of the Association of Applied Insect Ecologists (www.aaie.net). Licensees can study the material and take the test online to earn credit without leaving their homes or offices.

The free course is accredited by the California Department of Food and Agriculture for all Department of Pesticide Regulation licensees and county pesticide permit holders. Those who study the course and pass the test online will earn two hours of credit, including ½-hour in the category “Laws and Regulations.” The accreditation also is available to licensed consultants, applicators, qualified applicators and aerial applicators in California, Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Other states are pending. A current list of state accreditations is available at the Web site. The course is also accredited by the American Society of Agronomy for two IPM hours for the certified crop adviser (CCA) program.

“We are pleased to offer this course as an innovative new way to educate our customers and promote the value of biopesticides in IPM,” said Pam Marrone, company founder and CEO. “We want to do more than just promote the products coming from our cutting-edge R&D. We want to contribute to a better understanding of biopesticides in general, and how to incorporate them successfully into all farming operations.”

“Biopesticides—Effective Use in Pest Management” covers a wide range of information about the development and use of naturally derived materials used in pest management programs. A brief history of biopesticides, which began with Bacillus thuringiensis products first introduced 50 years ago, is followed by a discussion of biopesticide products that are currently registered by EPA. The vast majority are in use as components of conventional IPM programs and are effective tools for both disease and resistance management.

According to Marrone, biopesticides are naturally occurring substances, such as Bt bacteria, plant extracts, fatty acids or pheromones. Their use is growing rapidly worldwide, and they are in demand for their value in IPM programs to enhance yields and quality along with their low impact on the environment.

Biopesticides offer additional benefits, such as complex and novel modes of action for resistance management to extend the product life of conventional pesticides. They also add flexibility in a traditional farming operation with reduced preharvest intervals to manage residues for exported produce, and shorter field reentry times for workers, which reduces labor costs.

The course provides an excellent description of the science behind biopesticides, their rigorous registration pathway and field development process, and how they fit best in a pest management program. Those who do not wish to take the test for credit can download a pdf file of the course for their own reference and use.

Marrone Bio Innovations currently markets these biopesticides:

• Regalia® SC, an EPA registered extract of giant knotweed, Reynoutria sachalinensis that protects food and ornamental crops from both fungal and bacterial disease. When treated with Regalia, the plant’s immune system is triggered to defend against plant pathogens.

• GreenMatch®, an EPA registered, burndown herbicide formulated with citrus oil extracts for use in organic crop production. It is NOP and OMRI listed and active on a broad spectrum of grasses and broadleaf weeds.