US OMRI Approval Awarded For Innovative New Pest Control System

Exosect, a leading technology provider of environmentally-conscious insect pest control, today announced it has received organic verification from OMRI – the Organic Materials Review Institute – for five of its products - Exosex CM, Exosex GMB, Exosex OFM, Exosex PTB, Exosex TPW.

(PRWEB) December 9, 2005 -- Exosect, a leading technology provider of environmentally-conscious insect pest control, today announced it has received organic verification from OMRI – the Organic Materials Review Institute – for five of its products.

The products in question represent the breakthrough process of mating disruption via sexual confusion for the following agricultural pests:

-   Codling Moth (product: Exosex CM™)
-   Grape Berry Moth (product: Exosex GMB™)
-   Oriental Fruit Moth (product: Exosex OFM™)
-   Peach Twig Borer (product: Exosex PTB™)
-   Tomato Pin Worm (product: Exosex TPW™)

The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a non-profit organization specializing in the review of substances for use in organic production, processing, and handling. Its board of directors comprises certifiers, farmers, suppliers, processors, handlers, consumer organizations, and animal welfare and environmental groups. The OMRI Generic Materials List and OMRI Brand Name Product List provides world-renown guidance on the suitability of material inputs under the USDA National Organic Program standards.

“The Exosex mating disruption system has been hailed as a breakthrough in organic farming and pest control in Europe,” explains Exosect’s Sales & Marketing Director Martin Brown. “It is now making significant in-roads into the US market and is further bolstered by the OMRI certification.”

Exosex Auto-Confusion System is based on Exosect’s Entostat™ powder - an electrostatic powder that adheres readily to insect cuticle. By entering specially designed dispensers, the adult male picks up female sex pheromone on their bodies and distribute it throughout their population. They are unable to find females and become mobile lures for other males who equally become coated in pheromone, thereby spreading the disruption effect.

“The pests tackled by these products are making a significant impact on the agricultural economy,” continues Brown. “The codling moth, for example, has long been the curse of apple and pear growers. They greatly affect the quality of the crop and their resistance to chemical pesticides is increasing. As a result both farmers and retailers are in a difficult position – facing mounting consumer pressure for high quality goods and, at the same time, increasingly stringent legislation on minimum pesticide levels.”

OMRI awarded certification to Exosect’s Exosex product based on stringent criteria from which the following five key differentiators emerged:

1. Effectiveness: field trials in South Africa saw average crop damage by Codling Moth reduced to 5% when using Exosex CM, versus 15% when using traditional pesticides.

2. Environmental sensitivity: pheromones are used at levels that would occur naturally and only the target species is affected – beneficial insect remain unharmed.

3. CSR: trials have indicated a reduction in the number of sprays per season, by up to half, especially those close to harvest.

4. Peace of mind: Before the OMRI award, Exosex was the first mating disruption to be approved by the UK Organic Farmers and Growers Association and verified by the UK Soil Association.

5. Registrations: following 3 years of trial work, registrations are also pending in Israel, South Africa, South America and across Europe.

About Exosect
Exosect Limited was formed in 2001 to develop and commercialise innovative and environmentally acceptable insect pest control technology. As a specialist research and development company, Exosect has developed a range of powder delivery systems based on the concept of insect electrostatic and bio-magnetic attraction. Markets include crop protection (agriculture and horticulture), stored products (raw and processed), forestry and amenity landscape, public health, animal health and the consumer sectors.

Exosect's solutions have EPA regulatory approval in a number of US states and the company has partnered with a number of major International agrochemical companies to further develop its product lines in the US. More on Exosect at: www.exosect.com

Editor’s Notes
Further information on Exosect – including interviews, demonstrations, users stories and customer site visits – is available from:

Lynsey Thorp / Fiona Brewer / Graham Thatcher
Exosect Press Office at MCC International
Tel: +44 1962 888 100 / Fax: +44 1962 888125

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