Products Crop Protection
KleenGrow horticulture disinfectant receives fungicide approval

A disinfectant in the agriculture, horticulture, and greenhouse industries, KleenGrow, has received its designation as a fungicide from Health Canada.

Manufactured and distributed by Pace Solutions, KleenGrow is an environmentally friendly 4th generation quaternary ammonium used as a method of microbial and pest control. Pace Solutions says the product’s fungal control properties have long been an open secret among growers and Health Canada has now officially confirmed that fact.

“Proving KleenGrow’s efficacy against fungi and bacteria started 20 years ago,” said Robert MacMullin, Technical Plant Consultant for Pace Solutions. “In that time, we’ve had several independent studies showing it to be highly effective against common fungi and algae found on plants, in soils, and on roots. These contaminations can seriously affect product quality, crop yield, and our grower’s livelihoods, so we’re very happy that Health Canada has made this determination.”

Listed under Pest Control Product (PCP) #13148, the fungicide designation confirms KleenGrow is effective against a host of invasive fungi and algae, such as pythium, phytophthora, powdery mildew, penicillium, fusarium, and botrytis, and other similar contaminants.

When added to a regular cleaning and disinfection plan, a single application can protect hard surfaces for up to 14 days, depending on the disease severity. For irrigation systems, steady injection at extremely low rates is the best prevention, however, label rates can be applied every 7 to 14 days.

With an effective concentration of 75 – 400 ppm (parts per million), a gallon footbath or tool wash may only require the equivalent of a teaspoon, making it highly economical. Once diluted, KleenGrow has a neutral pH of around 6.3, meaning it is noncorrosive to metal tools, racks, and benches. Unlike some similar products, the performance is not impaired by pH changes or exposure to light or temperatures used to maintain plant health.

Available in 3.78 L, 18.9 litre, 200 litre, and 1000 litre containers, agriculture, horticulture, greenhouse, and nursery operators of all sizes can order the quantity that best suits their needs. With a shelf life of 3 years sealed and 1 year open, storage and quantity control are easy.

Navigating the User Requested Minor Use Label Expansions (URMULE) system within the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) was made easier with the help of Cary Gates, Pest Management Director at Flowers Canada Growers Inc. and Jim Chaput, former Provincial Minor Use Coordinator at Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs. Pace Solutions would like to extend its sincere gratitude for their expertise and time.

“KleenGrow has been a core product in our catalogue since the conception of the company nearly 40 years ago,” said MacMullin. “We constantly strive to seek new ways to utilize and improve our products and KleenGrow is no exception.”