Our Technology
Why Mustard?
Mustard is part of the Brassica family of plants, which contain natural molecules that provide the natural defense mechanism of the mustard plant to protect it from diseases and pests. MustGrow has extracted and concentrated these key molecules with the goal of commercializing them as natural, organic biopesticides, biofumigants and bioherbcide. These biologics have potential to replace banned synthetic chemicals and protect and grow crops in a safe, sustainable way.
MustGrow’s Biofumigant & Biopesticide Technology
TerraMG is a patented liquid product derived from food grade mustard seed is made up of a two-part formula:
Part A – Sinigrin (Glucosinolate) Formulation
Part B – Myrosinase (Enzyme)
Upon mixing the sinigrin and myrosinase formulations together with water, a hydrolysis reaction occurs in which the myrosinase cleaves off the glucose group from the glucosinolate, and the remaining molecule quickly converts to allyl isothiocyanate (AITC).
Our technology, which is derived from food grade mustard seed, is a natural and organic solution used to help control key diseases, insect pests and weeds. There is potential for this AITC technology to be applied globally as a preplant soil biofumigant to treat soil-borne diseases and insect pests, and as a postharvest biopesticide for storage and food preservation.
The technology is safe and not hazardous in that the two key components are separated and not active until combined in the field. This not only makes shortage, shipping and product use safe and not hazardous, but also extends shelf life which is unheard of for a natural biologic (currently +2 years and counting).
MustGrow’s Bioherbicide Technology
MustGrow’s bioherbicide technology is a second molecule that we have extracted and concentrated: ionic thiocyante (SCN-). This molecule’s weed killing properties are soil active and translocated in the plant as a systemic and non-selective, killing weeds from the root up.
Modes of Action
Isothiocyanate (R-N=C=S)
- AITC interacts nonspecifically and irreversibly with proteins and amino acids to form stable products with sulfhydryl groups, disulfide bonds, and amines. The formation of these covalent bonds alters the structure of the proteins or amino acids such that proper cell function is disrupted, including enzymatic reactions or other metabolic processes.
- AITC functions as an efficacious pesticide because it moves as a gas in soil pore spaces. Hydrophobicity is low enough such that it does not extensively partition to the soil solid phase.
- Once it reaches the target pest, AITC is hydrophobic enough that it readily moves through cell membranes to reach proteins and amino acids that are deactivated by the formation of covalent bonds.
Thiocyanate (SCN-)
- Thiocyanate has the ability to bind iron, starving the plant of a necessary nutrient. Iron forms a stable complex with thiocyanate removing iron’s ability to serve as a required plant nutrient.
- Thiocyanate is taken up by plant roots and transported throughout the entire plant. As such, thiocyanate behaves as a systemic herbicide
- Iron sequestration by thiocyanate causes the chlorotic response not observed with AITC.
MustGrow’s Natural AITC vs. Synthetic AITC
MustGrow’s Natural AITC
- Ability to control release of volatile AITC results in potential to develop multiple products for use in a variety of different sectors as well as provides opportunity to apply on existing crops.
- Benign formulation results in easy transport, storage and handling with minimal restrictions, as well as extended shelf life.
- Minimal regulatory restrictions, no re-entry times, no buffer zones, no hazardous material compliance procedures required.
- Eligible for use in organic production.
Synthetic AITC
- Instant release of AITC restricts the products potential applications and results in crop damage if applied to existing crops.
- Class 6 inhalation poison results in special transport, storage and handling requirements and added costs.
- Class 6 inhalation poison and high toxicity levels results in restrictive application procedures and cumbersome protocols.
- Not eligible for use in organic production.
TerraMG – Preplant Soil Biofumigant
Advantages
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