Vitae Rural Biotechnology opened its unit in the city of Uberaba (MG) last month to produce CartuchoVIT. It is a specific bioinsecticide for the control of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), which can be used on both corn and many other crops.
The bioinsecticide is produced from Baculovirus spodoptera in wettable powder at the rate of 50 grams per hectare, suspended in 150 liters of water. According to the manufacturer, the product causes 90% mortality in caterpillars and there are no reports of resistance. VR Biotech announces its intention to produce thousands of doses of the VIT Cartridge this year, for the next harvest.
Paulo César Manara, owner of the Vitae Group (composed of the companies Vitae Rural Homepatia and Vitae Rural Biotecnologia) highlights that the project was made possible with the support of the local city hall's Technological Park, which intermediated the sanitary and regulatory viability of the business. He also highlights that this partnership should facilitate the installation, soon, of a biotechnology laboratory.
To formulate the bioinsecticide, Vitae Rural Biotechnology used research from Embrapa Milho e Sogro, from Sete Lagoas (MG). The development received the support of researcher Fernando Valicente, who is an agricultural engineer with a PhD in Entomology – molecular genetics, and a researcher in biological control.
“The researcher had a technology that allows the manufacture of bioinsecticide with the Baculovirus spodoptera (isolate 6). So, we signed a patent exploitation contract, for the development of industrial production based on Emprapa parameters”, explains Manara.
The manager of the Uberaba Technological Park, Raquel Resende, highlights the importance of the launch: “Especially when it comes to a product related to clean health, which is the brand of VR Biotech products. The consumer wins, who will have a product without chemical residues, which many companies have sought.”
Source: Agrolink
