How do you make one of the industry’s most powerful and versatile OMRI-Listed biological fungicides even better?  By extending the shelf life by 100%.  That is exactly what the manufacturer of Actinovate® SP and Actinovate® Lawn & Garden biological fungicides has recently accomplished, effectively extending the shelf life on all packaging sizes to one year.

Actinovate® SP 18 oz. professional biological fungicide, and Actinovate® Lawn & Garden 18 oz. and 2 oz. retail biological fungicide packages now feature a 1-year shelf life.*  This new shelf life is double that of their previous 6-month shelf life, and makes these Actinovate® products an even more versatile and practical choice for growers, distributors, and retailers.

In case you aren’t familiar with Actinovate®, it is a biological fungicide that utilizes a beneficial bacteria called Streptomyces lydicus WYEC 108 as its active ingredient, which can be dissolved in water and applied as a foliar spray and/or a soil drench.

Streptomyces lydicus strain WYEC 108 (S. lydicus)

Similar to a probiotic used to keep our own digestive systems in healthy balance, Actinovate works on the surface of the plant’s foliage and within the root zone microbiome to keep these ecosystems healthy and in-balance.  Actinovate can be used on annual and perennial bedding plants and flowers, roses, potted flowers, foliage plants, trees, shrubs, and lawns located in nurseries, greenhouses, and home landscapes, as well as fruits including tree fruits, berries, and melons, nuts including a wide variety of tree nuts, and vegetables including leafy vegetables, root crops, cole crops, peppers, and tomatoes.

Actinovate’s S. lydicus organism uses multiple modes of action to actively control against several common soil pathogens, such as Damping Off Fungus, Root Rot, Turf Brown Patch, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Fusarium, Verticillium, Sclerotinia, and many others.

In foliar applications, Actinovate is labelled to suppress Downy Mildew, Gray Mold, Powdery Mildew, Botrytus, Phytomatotricum, Sclerotinia, Alternaria, and more.

“With its change to a one-year shelf life, Actinovate is now undoubtedly one of the most versatile biological fungicides available to growers and retailers,” stated Blair Busenbark, Sales and Commercial Marketing Manager at MA. “Actinovate offers a broad spectrum of performance as both a foliar and drench fungicide, which can now be stored under standard warehouse conditions for up to one year from date of manufacture. With this improvement, Actinovate becomes much more practical as a retail product for Garden Centers to carry on their shelves, as well as an even more valuable tool for a professional grower’s Integrated Pest Management toolbox.”

As with most biological controls, it is best to use Actinovate as a preventative tool, rather than curative treatment.  For best results, apply Actinovate as early as possible to the plant’s root system, and reapply every 2-12 weeks as needed.  In foliar applications, it is best to apply prior to disease development or at the first signs of pathogen infection and repeat at 7-14 day intervals to protect new foliage.

Actinovate is relatively safe, in comparison with many other fungicides, though caution is advised when using any pesticide.  Please read the label thoroughly for all precautionary statements and PPE requirements.  When sprayed onto foliage or used in chemigation via sprinkler or other spray irrigation, the re-entry period is only one hour or once the solution has dried.  Actinovate can be applied up to and including the day of harvest, so the pre-harvest interval is not a concern.  Always clean application equipment prior to use of this product, and use the prepared Actinovate solution within 4 hours of preparation.

Actinovate is a proven technology that has been utilized by growers, farmers, landscapers, turf managers, and home gardeners with confirmed success for many years.  Professional growers, turf managers, and landscapers can utilize Actinovate SP for nursery and greenhouse applications.  Actinovate SP is available in 18 oz. packages, and now has a 12-month shelf life.*  Home Gardeners and Lawn and Garden professionals can utilize Actinovate Lawn and Garden, which is available in 18 oz. packages and 2 oz. packages, and also now has a shelf life of 12 months.*

These Actinovate biological fungicides for Professional Growers and Home Gardeners are available through distributors in the US and Canada.  The best way to determine where you can get your hands on Actinovate SP or Actinovate Lawn and Garden to try in your own greenhouse or nursery, or home lawn and garden, is to contact your local distributor or garden retailer.  If you have problems locating a distributor or need further information, contact Mycorrhizal Applications, who can point you towards a distributor in your region.  Locate a distributor in your state using our DISTRIBUTOR MAP, or you can reach the Mycorrhizal Applications sales staff by calling (541) 476-3985 or emailing inquiries@mycorrhizae.com.

*At the time of this publication, California Actinovate SKUs will continue to have a 6-month shelf life, pending regulatory approval.