Cornell AgriTech Field Trials Validate GotaBlanca’s Broad-Spectrum Performance for Safe Pathogen Control Across Key Vegetable Crops in the USA
Field trials in watermelon, table beet, and sweet corn validate broad-spectrum efficacy and confirm GotaBlanca’s potential for row crop applications
Costa Rica, 26th Feb 2026 —ClearLeaf, a Costa Rican agricultural technology company specializing in safe pathogen control, today announced exceptional results from field trials conducted by Cornell University’s Cornell AgriTech. The trials evaluated GotaBlanca’s efficacy in controlling major diseases in vegetable crops. They expand upon previous successful apple and grape trials, further validating GotaBlanca’s broad-spectrum capabilities in the United States and demonstrating the technology’s versatility across diverse agricultural systems, including row crops.
The trials, conducted by Dr. Sarah J. Pethybridge and her team at Cornell AgriTech’s Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section in Geneva, New York, evaluated GotaBlanca across multiple diseases in watermelon, table beet, and sweet corn during the 2025 growing season. The results demonstrated that GotaBlanca not only provides effective disease control but also enhances overall plant health and productivity, aligning with regenerative agriculture principles that prioritize crop performance, environmental sustainability and farmer and consumer health.
Targeting anthracnose in watermelons
In watermelon trials targeting anthracnose, a devastating fungal disease, GotaBlanca achieved excellent disease control while producing the heaviest individual fruits among all treatments, including conventional fungicides. Treated watermelons weighed substantially more than controls, demonstrating that its effective pathogen management enhances rather than compromises crop productivity.
Controlling bacterial diseases in table beets
In trials involving table beets, GotaBlanca demonstrated excellent control of bacterial diseases that can severely reduce crop quality and yield. GotaBlanca treatments consistently produced superior plant health, better foliage development, and optimal root yields compared to untreated controls, with crop protection performance comparable to toxic industry standards. Importantly, no phytotoxicity was observed, confirming GotaBlanca’s favorable safety profile for crops.
Demonstrating outstanding performance with sweet corn, GotaBlanca’s newest row crop
Sweet corn trials evaluating northern corn leaf blight, one of the crop’s most economically damaging diseases showed that GotaBlanca achieved control levels equivalent to conventional fungicide programs, without negative effects on worker and consumer health, or the environment.
The sweet corn results demonstrated outstanding performance for GotaBlanca in its second major row crop, adding to ClearLeaf’s extensive rice experience. Rice—a major row crop—currently represents the largest segment of GotaBlanca’s sales and field deployment in Central America, where the product has demonstrated exceptional control of the crop’s various economically damaging diseases. The successful sweet corn trials at Cornell now add to this evidence, confirming that GotaBlanca’s broad-spectrum efficacy translates effectively across diverse row crop systems and reinforcing the product’s versatility and commercial potential in large-scale agriculture.
Understanding the relationship between pathogen management and crop productivity
Dr. Pethybridge commented: “Testing GotaBlanca on vegetable crops revealed an important dimension beyond disease control—the relationship between pathogen management and crop productivity. In our watermelon anthracnose trial, GotaBlanca not only achieved exceptional disease control but also produced the highest canopy readings and the heaviest individual fruits among all treatments, including conventional fungicides. Similarly, in table beet trials for both bacterial leaf spot and Cercospora leaf spot, GotaBlanca treatments consistently were amongst the highest dry foliage weights, superior canopy health, and the best root yields. These results demonstrate that effective disease management doesn’t have to compromise crop performance—in fact, GotaBlanca’s non-toxic profile appears to support optimal plant health while controlling pathogens, which is exactly what growers need for profitability.”
Dr. Agustín Büchert, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of ClearLeaf, stated: “These Cornell vegetable trials represent another important step in validating GotaBlanca’s performance in North American production systems. The results demonstrate our technology’s consistency—whether controlling fungal or bacterial diseases, we see the same pattern: excellent disease control coupled with enhanced plant health and productivity. The substantial increase in watermelon fruit weight shows that managing pathogens effectively allows crops to achieve their full genetic potential, translating directly to better yields and higher quality produce for farmers. These trials also validate what we’ve seen in our largest commercial market—rice production in Central America—that GotaBlanca performs exceptionally well in row crop systems, delivering broad-spectrum disease control that supports regenerative agriculture practices.”
GotaBlanca is currently registered for use or sale in select international markets. GotaBlanca is not currently registered for use or sale in the U.S. — U.S. EPA registration is in process.
GotaBlanca stands out as a broad-spectrum fungi-bactericide with a favorable safety profile for crops and the environment. It does not cause microbial resistance, enhances plant growth, aligns with regenerative agriculture practices, and can be applied at any stage of the growing cycle.
For more information about ClearLeaf Inc and its portfolio of agricultural innovations, visit https://www.clearleaf.ag
About ClearLeaf
ClearLeaf Inc is dedicated to empowering farmers with safe solutions that optimize crop production while minimizing worker, consumer and environmental impact. Through innovative technology and a commitment to sustainability, we are transforming agricultural practices worldwide.
Company Details
Organization: ClearLeaf, Inc.
Contact Person: Lawrence Pratt
Website: https://clearagro.com
Email: Send Email
Country: Costa Rica
Release Id: 26022641905