MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 22, 2016) - Bee Vectoring Technologies (the "Company" or "BVT") (TSX VENTURE:BEE) announced successful results from sunflower trials conducted in three countries: USA, Serbia and Canada.
The field trials were designed to evaluate the ability of the BVT system to manage sclerotinia head rot, an invasive fungal disease that causes high levels of loss in sunflowers. Growers have very limited choices in battling this disease since chemical sprays are not economically viable. To assess the efficacy of the system, several plots were inoculated with the disease and plots where the BVT system was deployed were compared against plots that were left untreated. Additional measurements on the yield of the crop and quality attributes were also made where possible in the trials.
In replicated trials conducted at North Dakota State University using bumblebees, the BVT system delivered a 36% reduction in incidence and a 22% reduction in the severity of the disease on average across three different observations. These reductions in disease incidence and severity were statistically significant. The BVT system produced a yield increase in the crop of 8%.
In replicated trials conducted in Serbia in collaboration with the Arthur Dobbs Institute and the Serbian Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops and its commercial arm "NS seme", the BVT system delivered a 43% increase in disease-free flowers, a 25% yield increase and a 5% higher bulk density which is an important quality attribute of the sunflower seed.
In addition, a trial conducted on a sunflower crop in Ontario, Canada resulted in a 46% increase in yield.
BVT CEO, Ashish Malik said, "These are excellent results, and clearly demonstrate the significant opportunity we have to help sunflower growers around the world manage sclerotinia, a devastating disease they have been battling unsuccessfully for many years. There are 1.6 million acres of sunflowers planted in the US alone, and over fifty million acres planted worldwide so this crop represents a significant commercial opportunity for us."
Malik added, "We learnt a lot from the trials carried out in 2016. Our system can not only help manage this devastating disease, but is being shown to deliver significant increases to yields as well as improving the overall quality of a crop. With the growing body of positive, verified results using our system on sunflowers, we anticipate a significant ramp up of our development activities in this area during 2017. We will be meeting with growers and important stakeholders in North Dakota in December to plan the next steps."
About Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc.
BVT has developed and owns patent-pending bee vectoring technology (consisting of a proprietary tray dispenser containing a unique carrier agent) that is designed to harmlessly utilize commercially reared bumblebees as natural delivery mechanisms for a variety of powdered mixtures comprised of organic compounds that inhibit or eliminate common crop diseases, while at the same time stimulating and enhancing the same crops. This unique and proprietary process facilitates a targeted delivery of crop controls using the simple process of bee pollination to replace traditional crop spraying, resulting in better yield, organic product and less impact on the environment without the use of water or disruptions to labour.
Additional information can be viewed at the Company's website www.beevt.com
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This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that BVT expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to BVT'S future plans and technologies, including the timing of such plans and technologies. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although BVT believes that the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include continued availability of capital, financing and required resources (such as human resources, equipment and/or other capital resources), and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of BVT'S management on the date the statements are made. BVT undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change, except as required by law.
