G3 Technology

G3 technology provides excellent reduction in the impact of excess heat, light, and drought on crop productivity. It is based upon a class of natural plant compounds, dicarboxylic acids. G3 is effective at very low rates (grams/A) of the active ingredient. CMM expects G3 technology to provide "plant health" benefits in row crops such as corn and soybeans as a low cost, efficacious, naturally occurring non-pesticide alternative to existing yield enhancing products.

Research Focus

  • Crop Microclimate Management is focused upon two approaches to abiotic stress management. First, is avoidance using products such as Screen™ Duo, a physical barrier that reduces the deleterious effects of certain wavelengths of light on plant tissues. Second, is to manipulate plant biochemical stress mechanisms, employing materials that activate specific enzyme systems. Products may involve either approach, or take advantage of the combination of the two.
  • CMM has submitted patents for the use and composition of combination products. These advances are Fusion Technology™ and the G3 low rate products. Screen™ Duo is our first commercial product based upon Fusion Technology™. Trial results show that G3 compounds can reduce losses from heat, light, water stresses, and have been effctive against cold stress and frost as well. These naturally occurring compounds will provide low cost options for protecting yield of field and horticultural crops, providing alternatives to existing "plant health" materials, not jeopardizing existing fungicide or insecticides due to resistance.

Research Areas

  • Several variants on Screen™ Duo are under development with the goal of providing films tailored to markets that experience challenging environmental conditions, such as higher rainfall, and products that may contain additional components beneficial to specific crops. We are also working on solutions to low temperature, chilling, freeze stress.
  • Trial results in apples, wine grapes, citrus, tomatoes, and peaches show reduced rates of Fusion Technology™-based products are more effective for heat and light stress management than full rate particle film products such as Screen™ Duo, or others.
  • G3 compounds have proven effective against heat, light, water, and cold stresses. CMM is working on  enhancements to target effectiveness against specific stressors.
  • All early developments planned will utilize materials that are currently considered to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration, and should be suitable for use in both organic and conventional cropping systems.

Biochemistry

  • CMM has identified several compounds that have been demonstrated to stimulate stress-coping mechanisms in plants. Data that it is possible to develop these and other compounds into reliable stress reducing tools for growers. In addition, we envision developing new, yield-enhancing products with greater efficacy than Screen™ Duo or it's variants. These will be based on proprietary technology that utilizes chemical agents that direct plant biochemistry to take advantage of higher energy levels resulting from lower photoinhibition. These may result in higher yields of better quality fruits or grains, or direct the crop into using it's resources to make more protein or other useful constituents.