Biotalys biofungicide EVOCA gains Florida registration

Biotalys’ biofungicide EVOCA has received state registration in Florida, marking the first U.S. state approval of the company’s AGROBODY biocontrol technology.

The Florida Department of Agriculture accepted EVOCA with the broad label previously approved by EPA. The product is designed to control botrytis and powdery mildew in fruits and vegetables.

Biotalys said Florida is a key market because of its production of strawberries, tomatoes and bell peppers, crops that face pressure from those fungal diseases.

“Florida is the second largest U.S. state for the production of key fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, tomatoes and bell peppers,” Carlo Boutton, interim CEO of Biotalys, said.

Regulatory review is also continuing in California, where the Department of Pesticide Regulation is reviewing EVOCA. The agency’s Human Health Assessment Branch has accepted the EPA-approved label, and approval is projected for the second half of 2026.

In the European Union, review of EVOCA is advancing, with a two-month public consultation phase expected to begin this week. The European Food Safety Authority and the Dutch Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products will review comments before the dossier moves to the decision phase.

EVOCA targets botrytis, commonly known as gray mold, and powdery mildew in high-value fruits and vegetables. The product introduces a new mode of action aimed at managing resistance and is designed for use in both greenhouse and outdoor production systems. According to the company, the biofungicide can be applied pre- and post-harvest and integrated into existing crop protection programs.

At the start of 2026, Biotalys received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval for EVOCA, its first biofungicide, marking the company’s initial U.S. regulatory clearance for a protein-based fungicide.

With federal approval secured, Biotalys plans to proceed with state registration reviews, including California and Florida, two major production regions for fruit and vegetable growers. In Europe, EVOCA has entered the peer review process, with the Netherlands proposing approval pending additional data requests.

The EPA also issued a final rule in late October 2025 exempting EVOCA’s active ingredient residues from tolerance requirements, meaning no maximum residue limits will apply to treated crops.

“This approval marks a major regulatory milestone for EVOCA and moves us closer to delivering a new, sustainable tool for farmers to protect their crops,” said Kevin Helash, ceo of Biotalys.

Biotalys is also preparing regulatory submissions for EVOCA NG, a next-generation formulation using the same active ingredient. The company expects U.S. registration for EVOCA NG in 2028–29.