By Janet Kanters

Farmers in Mexico, Canada, and the United States will soon have access to a botanical-based biofungicide, Quillibrium, thanks to an expanded partnership between Syngenta and Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI).

Derived from the bark of the Quillaja saponaria tree, Quillibrium offers a sustainable and effective solution for protecting crops from diseases while preserving biodiversity.

The biofungicide, which has already shown success in Chile (currently marketed as BotriStop) and Peru, is made using BSI’s proprietary plant tissue culture platform. This innovative process ensures a consistent, high-quality product without harvesting protected trees, safeguarding the environment while delivering reliable crop protection.

“After years of development and successful commercialization in Chile and Peru, we’re thrilled to bring Quillibrium to new key markets, expanding Syngenta’s integrated disease control portfolio,” said Emilhano Lima, Syngenta’s global head seedcare and biologicals. “By fostering collaboration with innovators like BSI, we are enabling farmers in the Americas to build effective pest management programs that combine biologicals and conventional solutions.”

Quillibrium has been used to protect crops such as grapes, tomatoes, berries, and cherries from diseases like Botrytis, sour rot, powdery mildew, and Alternaria alternata. According to BSI, farmers have reported higher yields and improved crop quality, making it a valuable addition to integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

“Quillibrium is a natural way to safeguard fruits and vegetables from multiple pathogens, easing farmers’ adoption of comprehensive crop protection strategies,” said Gaston Salinas, CEO of Botanical Solution Inc. “We’re excited to be Syngenta’s partner of choice to make botanical-based products like Quillibrium available to more growers across the Americas.”

Quillibrium will be available for crop protection, turf and ornamentals, and post-harvest applications.