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
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 conditioner, antifreeze, 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.