Spanish agricultural biotechnology company ATENS has announced an extension of the authorised uses of its TRICOTEN WP biofungicide in France to include maize seed treatment against Pythium, strengthening its biological crop protection portfolio and opening opportunities for expansion into European seed treatment markets.
The product is based on the company's proprietary Trichoderma atroviride AT10 strain and is designed to protect maize during germination and early crop establishment. The new application aims to address Pythium-related infections, which can affect seedling emergence, plant development and crop establishment.
According to ATENS, development trials demonstrated reductions in disease incidence comparable to those achieved by the chemical reference treatments evaluated, indicating the product's potential as a biological option for early-stage crop protection.
TRICOTEN WP has been developed to meet the technical requirements of industrial seed treatment operations, including uniform application, microbial viability and stability during seed drying, storage and sowing.
The company uses solid-state fermentation technology to produce mature and stable spores of Trichoderma atroviride AT10. Its formulation is intended to maintain the viability of the microorganism throughout the seed treatment process, supporting its application in commercial seed production systems.
The newly announced French authorisation represents a further step in ATENS' European expansion strategy. The company plans to pursue additional approvals through mutual recognition procedures and relevant regulatory processes in other European countries.
TRICOTEN WP has previously received registrations for other crop protection applications, including the management of Fusarium in tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, as well as Sclerotinia in lettuce.
The expansion into maize seed treatment broadens the product's potential applications beyond its existing horticultural uses and strengthens ATENS' focus on microbial crop protection technologies.
The company also intends to explore additional crop applications and geographical markets as part of its strategy to expand the use of biological solutions in agricultural production.
The development highlights continued innovation in microbial seed treatment technologies as agricultural input manufacturers seek to introduce biological crop protection options alongside conventional chemical solutions.
