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Chondrostereum purpureum strain PFC 2139 (081308) Fact sheet

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Issued: October 2004

On This Page

  1. Description of the Active Ingredient
  2. Use Sites, Target Pests, and Application Methods
  3. Assessing Risks to Human Health
  4. Assessing Risks to the Environment
  5. Regulatory Information
  6. Registrant Information
  7. Additional Contact Information

Summary

Chondrostereum purpureum strain PFC 2139 is a naturally-occurring fungus that will be used in herbicide products to inhibit sprouting and regrowth of cut tree stumps. Its use is limited to painting cut stumps of alders, aspen and other hardwood trees and shrubs in rights-of-way and forests. The fungus has shown no toxicity or pathogenicity to humans, wildlife, or the environment.

  1. Description of the Active Ingredient

    2. Chondrostereum purpureum is a cosmopolitan fungus species that is found in temperate regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. It is ubiquitous in Canada and common in the United States south to Virginia in the east and to northern California in the west. C. purpureum is found only in the xylem of living or recently killed broadleaf trees and shrubs. It causes silverleaf, a disease that occurs when the fungus blocks xylem vessels. These vessels provide structural support to the plant and also transport sap containing nutrients up to the leaves.

  2. Use Sites, Target Pests, and Application Methods

  3. Assessing Risks to Human Health

    4. No signs of toxicity or pathogenicity were observed when C. purpureum strain PFC 2139 was administered to rats and rabbits via the oral, pulmonary, and dermal routes of exposure. In rabbits, C. purpureum strain PFC 2139 was slightly irritating when applied dermally, or when instilled in the eye. Furthermore, C. purpureum has not been reported to produce any mammalian toxins or to infect mammalian tissues. It will not survive at or near normal human body temperature (37°C). Therefore, no worker protection measures have been established beyond requiring the standard precautionary labeling and typical personal protective equipment.

  4. Assessing Risks to the Environment

    5. Chondrostereum purpureum is ubiquitous in the forest ecosystem, so non-target organisms are naturally exposed to spores. However, there is very limited risk to non-target broadleaf plants found near application sites, due to simultaneous, multiple requirements for infection: a nearby source of inoculum, a narrow temperature range (20-25° C), high relative humidity (+80%) for maximum sporulation, the presence of a fresh wound on a susceptible shrub or tree, and sufficient wind for spores to reach susceptible plants. In addition, an extensive literature search found no reports of adverse effects on birds, wild mammals, fish, insects or other invertebrates, or aquatic plants. Acute mammalian toxicity testing showed that C. purpureum strain PFC 2139 is not toxic or pathogenic. C. purpureum does not grow at 35°C and is killed by sustained incubation at 37°C, making it unlikely to be a pathogen of mammals or birds.

  5. Regulatory Information

    6. On April 15, 1999, MycoLogic Incorporated submitted a formal request to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a Joint Review of the Chondrostereum purpureum strain PFC 2139 submission by both the Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and EPA. Subsequently, MycoLogic Incorporated submitted an application to EPA on August 2, 2001 for registration of an end-use product and a manufacturing use product. On September 23, 2004, EPA issued registrations to the first two products containing Chondrostereum purpureum strain PFC 2139 as the active ingredient: the Manufacturing Use Product, “CP-PFC 2139" (EPA Reg. No. 47200-2) and the End-Use Product, “Chontrol Paste” (EPA Reg. No. 74200-1).

  6. Registrant Information

    7. MycoLogic Inc.
    Department of Biology
    University of Victoria
    P.O. Box 3020
    Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3N5
    250-721-6319
    pdelabas@uvic.ca

    US Agent:

    Dr. Michael Braverman, IR-4 Project
    IR-4 Headquarters
    Center for Specialty Crop Pest Management
    Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    681 US #1 South
    North Brunswick, NJ 08902-3390

  7. Additional Contact Information

    8. Ombudsman, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P)
    Office of Pesticide Programs
    Environmental Protection Agency
    1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington, D.C. 20460

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