pesticides

The arsenal of pesticides available to licensed producers in Canada constantly changes as Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) adds or removes permitted sprays, so here is a comprehensive list that will be kept consistently up to date with those changes.

Non-organic compounds

Active ingredient: Sulphur

Found in:

  • Vaporized Sulphur by Agrotek
  • Wettable Sulphur by N.M. Bartlett

Inert ingredients: Unknown

Effect: Sulphur is toxic to fungi – inhibiting their cell’s respiration.

Useful against: Powdery Mildew.

Concerns: Lethal, toxic gasses are emitted when sulfur combusts. The burning of sulfur produces sulfur dioxide, a toxic gas. The even more lethal gas, Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) is also produced and even included in the warning label.

Petroleum Byproducts

PESTICIDES: A RETROSPECTIVE

Active ingredient: Mineral Oil

Found in:

  • Pure spray FX by Intelligro, a Suncor Energy Business.

Inert ingredients: Nonylphenol ethoxylates, mono or diglycerides, polyethylene glycol, silicone polyesters, and green pigment (polychlorinated (Cu II) phthalocyanine.)

Effect: Suffocates insects and deters feeding.

Useful against: Suppresses mites and deters aphids.

Concerns: Mineral produces toxic petroleum byproducts when it oxidizes.

[Author’s note: Purespray 13E was updated to the slightly purer Purespray FX amidst our pesticide series.]

Biochemical pesticide sprays

Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, and phosphoric Acid

Found in Biochemical pesticides sprays:

  • Zerotol Broadspectrum Fungicide by Biosafe Systems.

Inert ingredients: Unknown and potentially poisonous stabilizers.

Biochemical pesticides spray Effect: Oxidization agent.

Biochemical pesticides spray Useful against Algae and fungi; Leaf spot, root rot, gray mold, and powdery mildew.

Biochemical pesticides Concerns: Toxic and not safe for human consumption. Oxidizing agents can burn off terpenes, degrading bud quality.

Active ingredient: Ammonium nonanoate

Found in:

  • Axxe Broad Spectrum by Biosafe Safe Systems.

Inert ingredients: unknown.

Effect and uses Herbicide to kill surrounding plants. Not to be used directly on plants.

Concerns: Carcinogenic substances are emitted when ammonium combusts.

Active ingredient: Potassium Salts.

Found in:

  • Exile Insecticide soap by Hawthorne Hydroponics, a Scotts Miracle Grow subsidiary.
  • Neudosan and Kopa Insectide Soaps by Neudorff.
  • Opal Insecticide Soap by Omex Inc.

Inert ingredients (Neudorf): 5% ethoxylated emulsifiers (Polysorbate), 5% alcohols (such as isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, or vegetable oils,) 1% (xanthan) gum, and 1% defoamer.

Effects: Disrupts and destroys cells.

Useful against: Soft-bodied insects such as aphids and whiteflies.

Concerns: Potassium salts produce caustic potassium hydroxide upon combustion.

Active ingredient: Potassium bicarbonate.

Found in:

  • Sirroco by AEF Global
  • Milstop by Bioworks Inc.

Inert Ingredients: Unknown.

Effects: Slows the growth of bacteria and spores.

Useful Against: Powdery mildew.

Concerns: Potassium bicarbonate produces caustic potassium hydroxide upon combustion.

Active ingredients: Lactic and Citric Acid.

Found in:

  • Lactosan – Bioworks Inc.
  • Cyclone – Aef Global

Inert ingredients: Label recommends adding wetting agents, either Liberate or Agral.

Effects: Weak acids act as disinfectants. They kill bacteria and molds.

Useful against: Powdery mildew.

Concerns: uncertain.

Biological pesticides

Active ingredients: Trichoderma Harzianum and/or Trichoderma Virens

Biological pesticides Found in:

  • Rootshield WP, Plus WP, HC, and Rootshield Granules by Bioworks Inc
  • BW240 Wettable Powder – Bioworks Inc.

Inert ingredients: Unknown, the mold is grown in silicone gel and the label warns of the combustion of silicon oxides.

Biological pesticides Effect: A predatory mold that releases hydrogen peroxide as it metabolizes sugars.

Useful against: Root Diseases caused by Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium.

Biological pesticides Concerns: Rootshield likely contains silicon dioxide and Polyethylene glycol from production, which produces incredibly dangerous substances upon combustion, such as formaldehyde.

Active ingredient: Beauveria Bassiana

Found in:

  • Bio Ceres by Anatis Bioprotection.
  • Botaniguard Emulsified Solution and 22 Wettable Powder by Lam Corporation.

Inert ingredient (Bio Ceres): Kaolin Clay (carrier), cornstarch or calcium carbonate (dispersant,) citric acid (disintegration agent, ) and xanthan gum or cellulose (binder.) As well as polysorbate 80 or polyethylene glycol, if they choose to use a surfactant.

Effect: A predatory mold that parasitizes insects.

Useful against: Aphids, whiteflies, and thrips.

Concerns: Produces nitrogen oxides upon combustion which are carcinogenic.

Toxic bacteria pesticides

Active ingredients: Bacillus thurigensis (BT)

Toxic bacteria pesticides Found in:

  • Bioprotec Plus and Bioprotect CAF by AEF Global.

Inert Ingredients: Unknown.

Toxic bacteria pesticides Effect: An insecticide bacteria that poison insects.

Useful against: Cabbage looper.

Toxic bacteria pesticides Concerns: Some endotoxins can cause immune deficiencies when ingested.

Plant extracts and modified oils

Active ingredient: Canola Oil

Found in:

  • Vegol crop oil – Neuodorff.
  • Suffocate – Hawthorne Hydroponics (licensed under Neudorff).
  • Dr. Doom Formula 420 3 in 1 by Ultrasol Industries (Licensed under Neudorff).

Inert ingredients: Unknown, although there is a potential Ammonium Salts are used.

Effect: Suffocates insects.

Useful against: Powdery mildew, aphids, whiteflies, and mites.

Concerns: Canola oil produces carcinogenic smoke when it is overheated.

Active ingredient: Garlic Powder

Found in:

  • Influence LC – AEF Global.

Inert ingredients: Unknown

Effects: Organosulphur compounds in garlic, such as Allicin, disrupt insect’s neuron pathways.

Useful against: Powdery mildew.

Active ingredients: Knotweed Extract ( Reynoutria sachalinensis )

Found in:

  • Regalia® Maxx – Marrone Bio innovations.

Inert ingredients: Pigment, ethoxylated alcohol, a detergent, a conditionerantifreeze, and fertilizers.

Effects: Contains phenol’s which induce other plants to own natural defenses.

Useful against Certain fungal and bacterial diseases.

Concerns: Contains unknown nitrogen oxide producing fertilizers.

Stay tuned for further updates on what pesticides are approved for use in Canada’s cannabis production.

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