AgriTitan™ is unique- it is an innovative natural mineral product using advanced photocatalytic chemistry to produce a patented, safe, and highly effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial on the surface of the plant. Our work over the years has demonstrated plant protection equivalent to industry standard with greenhouse and field-proven Fungicide/Bactericide efficacy.
The primary mission of AgriTitan™ technology is to mitigate epiphytic microbial diseases of plants. Our natural active ingredient and sun-powered chemistry does this as well as the current best pesticide practices while enhancing sustainability. But that is not the only benefit it provides.
Significantly, AgriTitan™ brings the additional benefits of compatibility with regenerative farm practices, protection of our soils, sun protection, potential biostimulant activity, while also reducing our greenhouse gas footprint.
Fungicide/Bactericide
Plant diseases caused by microbes are numerous, widespread, and costly. For example, the genus Xanthomonas, first described as pathogens of pepper and tomato, contains species that harm a wide range of crops, causing spots, blights, and cankers on leaves, stems, and fruits. Other examples are Erwinia sp., which causes diseases such as fire blight in the plant family Rosacea, and Pseudomonas sp., which causes bacterial canker in the genus Prunus.
AgriTitan™ has been repeatedly shown to protect plants from foliar microbial diseases. Our advanced agricultural technology offers a distinctive mechanism of action (see Mode of Action) which may both help address evolved microbial insensitivity to current agents and facilitate incorporation into integrated pest management systems for more sustainable agriculture.
AgriTitan LLC has collaborated with well qualified scientists and institutions to develop data demonstrating protection of plants from microbial disease in multiple plant disease systems. The broad scope of potential benefit is illustrated with examples of field studies conducted using AgriTitan™ with field crops, greenhouse crops, horticultural crops, and arboreal crops.
Internal and Collaborative Field Studies
Pepper & Tomato (see Publications)
Target Disease-Bacterial Black Spot; pathogens: Xanthomonas sp., Erwinia sp., Pseudomonas sp.
Roses (see Publications)
Target Disease-Bacterial Leaf Spot; pathogen: Xanthomonas sp.
Grapes (see Study)
Target Disease: Summer Bunch Rot; pathogen: Botrytis cinerea
Gala Apples, Indared Apples, Bartlett Pear
Target Disease-Fire Blight; pathogen: Erwinia amylovora
Turf, Fescue Grass
Target Disease- Anthracnose Leaf Blight; pathogen: G. graminicola
Cabbage
Target Disease-Bacterial Black Spot; pathogens: Xanthomonas sp., Erwinia sp., Pseudomonas sp.
Onion
Target Disease-Center Rot; pathogens: Pantoea agglomerans , Erwinia herbicola, Enterobacter agglomerans
Walnut
Target Disease-Walnut Blight; pathogen: Erwinia amylovora
The broad scope of potential benefit with AgriTitan™ in multiple plant disease systems is illustrated with selected examples:
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AgriTitan™ as a single agent (dosed twice or thrice per season) was compared to 35 other treatments (including multiple combinations) against bunch rot in grapes. AgriTitan™ (red diamonds) was as effective as the industry standard multi-dose combination (black square). |
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Application of AgriTitan™ to cherry trees provided protection from cherry canker, as illustrated in the images below:
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Important vegetable crops also are protected:
In multiple studies, AgriTitan™ protected pepper from bacterial spot and also protected cabbage from black rot. The protection was consistent and at least comparable to that provided by widely used crop protection agents.
Representative data are illustrated in Table 1 for the pepper/bacterial spot system, and in Table 2 for the cabbage/black rot system. In both Tables, values represent a whole plot assessment of disease severity using a scale of 0 -100, where zero is no disease. Results followed by the same letter(s) within a column are not statistically different at P=0.05.
Table 1
| Trial Season 1 | Trial Season 2 | |
| Water Control | 63 a | 74 a |
| AgriTitan | 30 c | 41 bc |
| Kocide 3000 | 45 bc | 40 bc |
| Actigard | 50 ab | 51 b |
| AgriTitan + Kocide 3000 | 36 bc | 44 bc |
| AgriTitan + Actigard | 41 bc | 38 c |
Table 2
| Trial Season 1 | Trial Season 2 | |
| Water Control | 62 a | 71 a |
| AgriTitan | 22 cd | 46 b |
| Kocide 3000 | 43 b | 41 b |
| Actigard | 16 d | 34 c |
| AgriTitan + Kocide 3000 | 26 c | 42 b |
| AgriTitan + Actigard | 23 cd | 40 b |
Sun Protection
Plants, like people and animals, are sensitive to excessive concentrations of UV found in natural sunlight. For photosynthesis, plants primarily utilize the visible light spectrum within the range of 450-700 nanometers (blue, yellow, and red light). Photons in this color range are absorbed by chlorophylls, the primary pigments responsible for light capture and energy production in plants. UV radiation from the sun, UV-B and UV-A, can damage the leaves and fruit of almost any plant just as it damages our own skin. Long-term exposure can impair photosynthesis and decrease chlorophyll content in a plant, resulting in a reduction of plant growth and stress resistance.
AgriTitan™ can help protect plants from excess UV by functioning as a transparent sunscreen to mitigate damage from UV and its associated stress. AgriTitan™ contains a safe mineral that we use on people for sun protection: titanium dioxide (TiO2). This natural mineral is incorporated into human sunscreens in the form of tiny particles that efficiently scatter and reflect UV light, protecting our skin while also avoiding a white appearance.
While the proven broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy is the primary purpose of AgriTitan™, its use also serves as a functional sunscreen to protect the plant while fully allowing visible light to power photosynthesis.
Biostimulant
All plants require 17 elements to complete their life cycle. While plants obtain hydrogen, oxygen and carbon from air and water, plants derive the remaining 14 elements from the soil or through fertilizers, manures, and amendments. These beneficial elements include magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, nitrogen, zinc and more.
The physical, chemical, and biological weathering of soil minerals releases a number of nutrient elements into the soil solution. This weathering process is variable with many mineral elements being largely insoluble. Modern agriculture and horticulture add more bioavailable forms of minerals as soil amendments to ensure availability to plants.
The active ingredient in AgriTitan™ is the mineral titanium dioxide (TiO2). All natural forms of titanium, the ninth most abundant element in the earth’s crust, exist as oxides. The natural forms of titanium dioxide are anatase (as in AgriTitan™), rutile, and brookite, with each being about 95% titanium. TiO2 has been conventionally considered to be inert in the environment. Evidence accumulated over the last 100 years shows that primary minerals including titanium dioxide, originally formed at high temperatures and pressures in igneous and metamorphic rocks, are weathered in soils, releasing the needed elements for plant growth. Titanium is relatively mobile in rocks and is available to plants under weathering conditions in soils.
Increasing evidence in the literature suggests that titanium is considered a beneficial element for plant growth. Published studies have confirmed that titanium dioxide increases chlorophyll and photosynthesis, as well as the uptake of elements effective in chlorophyll production and photosynthesis such as iron, magnesium, and nitrogen, and therefore result in higher plants growth.
Plants are able to absorb titanium through either roots or leaves and it has been shown to improve plant performance at low concentrations through stimulating the activity of certain enzymes, enhancing chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, promoting nutrient uptake, strengthening stress tolerance, and improving crop yield and quality. Commercial fertilizers containing titanium have been used as biostimulants for improving crop production. Studies suggest that TiO2 particles can facilitate the absorption of essential nutrients by plants, potentially improving crop yields by enhancing root development and nutrient availability in the soil.
AgriTitan™’s primary use is controlling plant diseases through its light-powered antimicrobial properties. However, continuing research shows titanium dioxide (TiO2) has potential other benefits in sustainable agriculture, enhancing nutrient uptake by plants, promoting plant growth, and all while minimizing environmental impact.
