Marubeni Corporation (“Marubeni”) and Chuetsu Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd (“Chuetsu Pulp”) have started trial sales of a new agricultural material (“Product”) that uses the ACC cellulose nanofiber*1 (hereinafter “CNF”) “nanoforest🄬” manufactured by Chuetsu Pulp. The Product is a new agricultural material that is compatible with the physical control element of integrated pest and weed management (IPM) promoted in the “Green Food System Strategy” formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

Product Name:
Nanoforest-S [Agri]*2
Main ingredients: cellulose fiber, water (contains no synthetic ingredients such as insecticides or fungicides)

Agricultural Challenges and Developing the Product:
As the world’s population is expected to increase, food losses due to pests and diseases must be addressed in order to ensure stable and sustainable food production. Chemical pest control, such as pesticides, has become a major problem due to the emergence of resistant bacteria and the chemicals’ impact on the environment. Therefore, developing and using pest control that does not rely solely on chemical pest control is an extremely important issue.

In 2018, Marubeni and Chuetsu Pulp started joint research with Tsukuba University to ascertain that CNF has a beneficial effect in preventing diseases caused by foliar infection and to elucidate the mechanism of disease control. Marubeni and Chuetsu Pulp will continue to conduct field trials and R&D to determine how to best use this Product, aiming to contribute to the agricultural field through physical pest control using CNF.

*1: ACC cellulose nanofiber:
Cellulose nanofibers made from wood fiber (pulp) that has been micronized by the aqueous counter collision (ACC) method, which uses the power of water without the addition of chemicals.
CNF exhibits amphiphilic properties; it has a hydrophilic surface that easily bonds with water as well as a hydrophobic surface that easily bonds with oil.

*2: Nanoforest-S [Agri]: A physical pest control material that protects the leaf surface of plants from the invasion of pathogens.
By spraying CNF on the leaf surface of plants, a mesh of fine cellulose fibers (fungicide net) covers the leaf surface, physically preventing the entry of pathogens into the leaf and suppressing infection through the following two functions.

Related Press Releases:
April 25, 2017
Marubeni and Chuetsu Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Developing Application and Sales of Cellulose Nanofiber
https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2017/release/20170425_eng.pdf (in English)
https://www.marubeni.com/jp/news/2017/release/20170425_jpn.pdf (in Japanese)

November 15, 2021
Notice Regarding the Launch of Cellulose Nanofiber-based Environment Improvement Material Sales for Hen Houses
https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2021/release/20211115E.pdf (in English)
https://www.marubeni.com/jp/news/2021/release/20211115J.pdf (in Japanese)

Inquiries:
Press Section, Public Relations Department, Marubeni Corporation 　TEL: 03-3282-2435
Development Division, Nanoforest Business Department, Chuetsu Pulp & Paper Corporation 　TEL: 0766-26-2472