Actavan® Bio: A Waikaitu innovation supporting healthier, more resilient grape production

We are proud to announce that we have received registration in Australia since of August this year!

Actavan® Bio is a biological fungicide developed and manufactured by Waikaitu Ltd. The product has been registered and commercialised in collaboration with ADAMA Global, providing growers with access to Waikaitu’s technology through ADAMA’s global crop-protection network.

Recently highlighted by ADAMA Australia as part of its expanding grape protection portfolio, Actavan Bio offers grape growers a novel approach to managing late-season Botrytis risk. Unlike conventional fungicides that directly target fungal pathogens, Actavan Bio works by supporting the vine’s own natural defence mechanisms and improving berry resilience.

The product is based on glycine betaine, a naturally occurring compound that acts as an osmoprotectant, helping plants regulate water movement and maintain cellular stability under stress. In grapes, this mode of action helps improve berry skin elasticity and reduce skin degradation and splitting. Because damaged or split berries can provide entry points for Botrytis, maintaining berry integrity can help suppress infection, particularly towards the end of the growing season.

For growers, Actavan Bio provides an additional tool that can be integrated into disease-management programs while addressing increasing demand for biological and residue-conscious crop protection solutions. ADAMA specifically highlights the product's zero-residue profile for wine and table grape production.

The collaboration between Waikaitu and ADAMA demonstrates how New Zealand agricultural innovation can be developed, manufactured and brought to international markets through global industry partnerships. For Waikaitu, Actavan Bio represents another step in its development of practical, science-based biological solutions designed to improve crop resilience and support more sustainable agricultural production.

Developed and manufactured in New Zealand by Waikaitu Ltd. Registered and commercialised in collaboration with ADAMA.

For more information visit: Adama Australia | Actavan Bio