New Adjuvant In the Mix Brings Tech from Medical Industry

When introducing Hydrovant, the team at Corbet Scientific says it aims to bring a whole new category of adjuvants to the market. 

Hydrovant is a polymer product, with its technology platform first developed in the medical industry. In agricultural applications, it is a first-of-its-kind activator sticker technology has the ability to tank mix with existing active ingredients (AI) in a variety of applications and crops to help products stay on the leaf and work longer. In its research, the company has shown Hydrovant increases the efficacy of both contact and systemic pesticides, pre emerge and post emerge herbicides and fertilizers. 

“Corbet Scientific is developing technologies for the industry, and Hydrovant is so unique it could mean there’s a whole new product category,” says CEO Glenn Pacchiana. We aren’t a surfactant. We are an activator—a super sticker—as the product grabs the AI and sticks it to the plant through any moisture event.”

2022 was the first crop year the product was in the field, across the  country after Corbet Scientific received EPA approval as an Inert Ingredient last fall. Hydrovant has been tested in citrus crops, almonds, sugar cane and more—but the company is focusing on launching in row crops because of how the adjuvant can be added to herbicide mixes being used today. 

“As we’ve continued our testing, we have found more and more opportunities,” Pacchiana says. “When we were spraying citrus, we found better weed control on the ground. In cucumbers, we tried a fertilizer trial putting it in the drip tape irrigation with 15-15-15 and found yields doubled. And in row crops, we can put Hydrovant in the tank mix with pre-emerge and post-emerge herbicides.”

As such, Pacchiana says Hydrovant simplifies the spraying process for growers with its compatibility. 

Tom Zangrillo, vice president at Corbet Scientific, credits the product’s performance to its novel formulation and zero phytotoxicity. 

“Hydrovant is gentle beyond compare,” Zangrillo says. “Unlike alcohol based or oil based products, which struggle in heat and humidity, our data shows Hydrovant delivers and is very gentle on crops.” 

Zangrillo’s background is as a third generation lettuce and onion grower in upstate New York. 

“I understand growers are being brought 10 new products a day. Many don’t live up to the promises.

Basically, we ask for a chance. Most times we do well,” Zangrillo says. “What I like about Hydrovant, is its flexibility. We haven’t found a market that it didn’t have a place yet.”

The company’s production facilities are currently in Georgia and California. 

“This is our coming out year. Of the 10 companies we wanted to connect with, we have we are in discussion with six for testing and hopefully distribution to come,” Pacchiana says.    

Pacchiana says Hydrovant will be either private labeled or distributed to retailers via existing channels. While Corbet Scientific has done some direct sales, that will not be their focus. 

“A year from now, I want to have one or two national distribution partners that have taken the product and started to roll it out,” he says.