CO2 GRO Announces Positive Michigan Flower Grow Trials Using CO2 Foliar Spray Technology
October 24 2018 - 10:06AM
Toronto based CO2 GRO Inc. (“
GROW”) (TSX-V: GROW)
is pleased to announce a series of positive flower grow trials
using dissolved CO2 spray versus no CO2 gassing at a commercial
Michigan flower greenhouse.
Highlights are below:
The first two trials were done on Vinca Minor
“periwinkle” flowers that were sprayed with dissolved CO2 in a
large commercial greenhouse that does not use CO2 gassing. The
dissolved CO2 sprayed flowers were healthier, showing 1) more
branching and side shoots with bigger, thicker leaves, 2) more
advanced root systems delivering more water and nutrients up to the
leaves and 3) no undue stretching all of which contribute to
increased value per flower plant. No additional plant growth
regulators were required for the dissolved CO2 treated flowers.
Additionally, these flowers were commercially ready to ship 7-10
days faster at 32-35 days versus the control flowers requiring 42
days.
The third and fourth trials were on
chrysanthemums resulting in bushier plants without additional
stretching with deeper, more vibrant flower coloring. Propagation
times were consistently reduced by one-third to 14 days versus the
control flowers requiring 21 days.
The fifth flower trial now underway for a period
of five weeks is on 42,000 cordyline juvenile plants that will be
commercially sold at maturity. A fully automated overhead
irrigation system is systematically pulsing dissolved CO2 spray on
these flowers. Early results are very promising but accelerated
maturity and other features to determine the exact advantage of CO2
Foliar Spray technology on cordyline plants is two months away.
John Archibald, CEO of GROW stated "We are
really pleased with these Michigan flower results as the global
flower market is a $200 billion / year retail business. Flowers are
more valuable than food on a greenhouse per square foot basis.
Being a key part of a commercial flower operation is validating our
revenue model of charging a determined portion of increased revenue
based on incremental plant productivity. Our patented dissolved CO2
Foliar Spray technology simply mixes CO2 and water for both indoor
and outdoor use. Most greenhouses cannot use CO2 gassing due to
porosity while those in warmer drier areas like California do not
have the need for enclosed glass walls. We are very excited to
start outdoor grow trials shortly in California that produces a
majority of North America’s vegetables which are grown year-round.
The value of plants grown outside of greenhouses is 20 times
greater than those grown in greenhouses.”
About CO2 GRO Inc.
GROW's mission is to accelerate all indoor and
outdoor value plant growth naturally, safely, and economically
using its patented advanced CO2 foliar technologies. GROW’s global
target plant markets are retail food at $8 trillion per year
(Plunkett Mar 2017), retail non-food plants at an estimated $1
trillion per year and legal retail cannabis that may reach $50
billion per year by 2022 (Bay St Analyst estimates).
GROW's CO2 technologies are commercially proven,
scalable and easily adopted into existing irrigation systems.
GROW's proven crop yield enhancements and revenue model are
compelling for growers and Agri-industrial partners.
GROW's sole focus is working with its plant
grower and Agri-industrial partners in proving and adopting its CO2
technologies for specific growers’ plant yield needs.
The CO2 technologies work by transferring CO2
gas into water and foliar spraying across the entire plant leaf
surface area, which is a semi permeable membrane. The dissolved
concentrated CO2 then penetrates a leaf's surface area naturally
like nicotine naturally dissolves through human skin from a
nicotine patch.
Foliar spraying of natural water, dissolved
nutrients and chemicals on plant leaves has been used for over 60
years by millions of indoor and outdoor plant growers. To date,
outdoor growers have not had any way to enhance plant CO2 gas
uptake for faster growth.
Indoor use of CO2 gassing has enhanced plant
yields for over 60 years. However, over 50% of the CO2 gas is
typically lost through ventilation. Current greenhouse CO2 gassing
levels of up to 1500 PPM are also not ideal for worker health and
safety. GROW's safer dissolved CO2 foliar spray can be used by
indoor and outdoor plant growers with minimal CO2 gas lost and
greater plant bioavailability resulting in higher yields.
Forward-Looking Statements This
news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based
on CO2GRO's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its
business and the economic environment in which it operates. These
statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve
risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict.
Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from
those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers
should not place undue reliance on such statements. Statements
speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company
undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new
information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances,
unless otherwise required to do so by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For more information, please
visit www.co2gro.ca
or contact Sam Kanes, VP Business
Development at 416-315-7477.
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