Technology data

Possible applications

HB-101 is synthesized from organic distillate, which is extracted from the heated raw material of cedars, Japanese cypress, pines, and plantains as raw materials. It has been the preferred product choice by customers for more than 40 years since its development. It has been used for a variety of plants including grains such as rice, wheat and corn, fruits, fruit vegetables, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, beans, flowers, and trees. For all types, it has been reported that the product had positive effects on improving root spread, colour and gloss of leaves and flowers, improved crop yields and larger yields and enhanced quality. HB-101 is registered with the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) in the United States and is widely recognized in Japan as a vitalizing solution suitable for organic farming.

HB-101 is a product developed with the goal of improving plant growth without reliance on chemical fertilizers and achieving greater crop yields and higher added value of crops. These days, as represented by SDGs, “sustainable development” is on everybody’s mind and is strongly demanded around the world, and we believe that HB-101 can contribute to sustainable agriculture with a smaller impact on the environment. In developing countries, in particular, it is considered that while economic development has seen remarkable growth, the economic wealth disparity between rural and urban areas is widening, and there still remains considerable room for improvement from the perspectives of agricultural technology and environmental considerations. We believe that by using HB-101, improvement in quality and crop productivity will contribute to securing a stable food supply and increasing the income of farmers.

Competitive advantage

HB-101 product sizes range from 6mL to 20L, which is suitable for small to large-scale farmers. In Japan, the product is priced at \200 for 6mL and \340,000 for 20L. We expect that the 6mL size product will be the ideal product size in developing countries, and the same product can be used for agricultural land of about 0.06ha by diluting it at 10,000 times.

For wet-rice farming, plant vitality enzyme of other companies is recommended to use three times per cropping season, whereby the amount of product used per hectare is 40L and the unit usage cost is about \50,000/ha/cropping season. As for HB-101, the cost savings can be easily seen as the unit usage cost is about \12,000/ha/cropping season (used at a frequency of 5 times/ cropping season).

In addition, since HB-101 is a product diluted with water and then used, it can be used in the same way as other pesticides and fertilizers, so it is comparatively easy to introduce. As for storage, including the product already opened, by storing the product in a cool and dark place away from direct sunlight, an extremely long shelf life is guaranteed. As for use, positive effects can be expected by using it about 5 times from seeding or transplanting to harvesting, requiring no specialized skills. And, as HB-101 is made from natural resources with a smaller impact on the environment at the time of disposal, no special consideration is required.

Performance

HB-101 contains several thousands of ingredients, and one of the ingredients, succinic acid, was reported (October 30, 2016) at the Japanese Society for Chemical Regulation of Plants that it promotes crop growth by promoting lateral root formation and growth. Cultivation tests have been conducted in many countries including Japan and the United States. In Japan, joint research has also been conducted through a collaborative effort by Kanazawa University and Ishikawa Prefectural University. Kanazawa University demonstrated the positive effects of promoting root spread by HB-101 as shown in Fig. 2 (Arabidopsis thaliana).                                                   Fig. 2 Root formation of Arabidopsis thaliana
 
In a cherry cultivation test conducted at Oregon State University in the United States, as shown in the graphs below, test results were obtained that demonstrated increased fruit size and higher sugar content. (see Fig. 3)

                                                          Fig. 3 Fruit size and sugar content of Cherry

In developing countries, for example, in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the following performance results were obtained.
[1] As a result of rice cultivation tests conducted by the Myanmar Rice Research Centre (MRRC) in 2013 and 2014, it was confirmed that yields improved by more than 30% by using HB-101. (see Table 1)

Table 1 Rice production test in Myanmar


[2] In a Chinese cabbage cultivation test conducted by the Settlements and Land Records Department (SLRD), a certification and registration organization for fertilizers and pesticides in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, it was reported that use of HB-101 promoted growth. According to a Chinese cabbage cultivation test conducted in Japan, it was found that a reduction in crop yields due to deterioration in growing environments was mitigated by use of HB-101, which means that HB-101 can minimize the impact on crop yields due to unseasonable weather and achieve stable production. (see Table 2)
The photo on the right shows samples of Chinese cabbages (left: control, right HB-101) 

Table 2 Chinese cabbage cultivation test


Chemical Properties of HB-101
Density: 1.00 – 1.05
pH: 3.0 – 4.5
Color: colorless and transparent
Ingredient: mainly organic acid such as succinic acid, kaempferol, Tyrosine methyl ester, 2 other types, etc.

Technical maturity / Past record of introduction

Natural Plant-activating Agent HB-101 has a proven record of sales not only in Japan but also in more than 50 countries around the world for more than 40 years. Exports to overseas distributors include 16 years in the Kingdom of Nepal, 15 years in the Republic of Cyprus, 11 years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 10 years in the Russian Federation, 9 years in the Kingdom of Cambodia, 8 years in the Republic of Turkey, the Kingdom of Thailand and the United States, 6 years in the People’s Republic of China, 5 years in the Republic of India and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and 4 years in the Republic of Singapore.
We have been manufacturing and selling HB-101 for over 45 years and have exported to more than 50 countries.
The production volume in 2021 is about 130kL for HB-101 and about 70t for granules HB-101.

Certificate of OMRI Listed: https://www.omri.org/mfg/bfi/certificate/9203

Information on patent related to this technology

N/A

Company data

Name	FLORA Co., Ltd.
Address	3-39 Hasedashicho, Yokkaichi, Mie, 510-0855 Japan
Capital	10 million JPY (as of December 9, 2021)
Contact person	Mr. Tomoaki KATO (Ph. D.) Mr. Yoshiyasu KAWASE (President) E-mail: t-kato@hb-101.co.jp Tel.: +81-59-325-7366 Corporate website: https://hb-101.com
Number of employees	114 (as of December 9, 2021)
Date of company foundation	October 13, 1982
Type of business	Manufacture and sales Research and development, manufacture and sales of agricultural materials, feed for livestock and pets, daily necessities, cosmetics, quasi-pharmaceutical products, pharmaceuticals, and health foods containing essences extracted from plants (cedar, cypress, pine, plantain, etc.) as ingredients.

 

International operation

Number of employees for international operation		8 (including one who resides overseas)
Overseas offices	City, Country	Name of Company　(if applicable)
	N//A	N/A

Modality of business transaction

Partnership
We seek reliable local partners (distributors, wholesalers) and carry out collaborative activities by providing samples and participating in exhibitions in order to expand distribution channels. We send technical personnel to local sites to explain and disseminate product knowledge and usage. When requested, personnel visit farmers. We support local partners by providing samples and brochures when conducting sales and marketing campaigns.

Schematic illustration of the technology