Valent BioSciences new orchard product gains FDA approval

LIBERTYVILLE - Valent BioSciences LLC said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved its sale of a new plant growth regulator, which will be used to thin fruit in orchards.

The product will be marketed under the brand name Accede, and it utilizes the active ingredient 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, or ACC.

ACC occurs naturally in plants and Accede is the first regulator based on a naturally occurring compound developed specifically for thinning of stone fruit, including peaches and nectarines, Valent said. It also gives apple growers an effective tool to thin apples in the late thinning window when fruit are small in diameter.

Until now, no fruit thinner has provided reliable thinning at this stage of development, Valent said. Use of Accede will reduce the need for costly hand-thinning to adjust the crop load and generate higher fruit quality and grower returns.

"This game-changing plant growth regulator will revolutionize the way tree fruit growers manage their crop loads," said Dr. Warren Shafer, vice president of global research and development and regulatory affairs at Valent BioSciences.