Itronics' Gold'n Gro Liquid Fertilizer for Trees Produces 40 Percent Increase
in Juice Content of Valencia Oranges
RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2000--Itronics Inc. (OTCBB:ITRO - news) today reported that its Gold'n Gro fertilizer in citrus field application tests produced a 40
percent increase in weight and juice content and 12 percent increase in size in valencia oranges compared to the oranges on check trees.
A similar test is being conducted on lemon trees with results expected early in 2001. ``The lemon trees fertilized with Gold'n Gro produced 54 percent more lemons than
non-fertilized trees,'' said Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. The fertilizer was applied to the orange and lemon trees entirely by foliar spray.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1997 there were 842,000 acres of oranges in the U.S. The value of the crop was estimated at $1.9 billion or approximately
$2,300 per acre of orange trees. With an average of 155 trees per acre, the crop value per tree was $14.84. A 40 percent increase in weight and juice per tree would be worth about
$5.94 per tree and a 12 percent increase in size of the oranges per tree would be worth $1.78 per tree for a total proportionate increase in value per tree of $7.72, or 52 percent. In
field practice, the cost for fertilizer and spray application per tree is estimated at $2 per year, producing a potential profit of $5.72 per tree, or a 286 percent return on the investment
in Gold'n Gro.
``While these numbers are estimates at this point, they illustrate that our new Gold'n Gro fertilizers for trees could potentially produce significant value to citrus growers,'' Dr.
Whitney said.
``Because of these interim results a large-scale test is being planned with a valencia orange grower in Southern California,'' according to Dr. Whitney. ``We are initiating the
program this fall and plan to continue it for 2 to 3 years. The study will use both fertilizer injection through the irrigation system (fertigation) and foliar applications and will provide
field generated results that can be compared to standard grower practices.'' Professional personnel from a major university are assisting with this program and will verify results.
The Gold'n Gro fertilizer producing the best results was introduced in June, 2000, and is designed for both foliar and fertigation application to citrus trees and wine grape vines.
Field testing has shown that it also produces positive growth on more than a dozen varieties of non-fruit trees. Evergreens, including Scotch pine and Colorado blue spruce, and
trees such as oak and maple, have responded positively to Itronics' fertilizer. Information about the new Gold'n Gro product line for trees, and the company's line of portable
injector systems, can be obtained by calling 800/368-1865.
Itronics Metallurgical, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Itronics, has created a proprietary method to extract essentially all the silver from photowastes and to use the resulting
demetallized liquid to manufacture, at its Stead, Nevada, facility, a line of environmentally compatible multinutrient liquid fertilizers sold under the trademark Gold'n Gro. More
than 100 million gallons of photographic wastes are generated in the U.S. each year from photo finishers, photo labs and studios, X-ray laboratories, and printers.
Itronics Metallurgical, Inc., now offers 13 multinutrient liquid fertilizer formulas and has three liquid formulas under development. With the 16 products, the Gold'n Gro line of
liquid fertilizers used in different combinations will satisfy the nutritional needs of almost every horticultural crop. Information about purchasing Gold'n Gro for home use or the
Company's souvenir Silver Nevada Miner bars is available at the Company's Web site: www.itronics.com.
Itronics Inc. is one of Nevada's leading process technology development companies and a world leader in photochemical recycling. Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, it specializes
in recycling technology development, photochemical recycling, silver refining, fertilizer manufacturing, and technical services for the mining and recycling industries. Dr. John
Whitney, Itronics President, has been selected as Nevada's Inventor of the Year for 2000 and became a member of the Inventor's Hall of Fame at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Visit Itronics' Web Site: www.itronics.com |
