TORONTO, Sept. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CO2 GRO Inc. (“GROW”) (TSX-V:GROW, OTCBQ-BLONF, Frankfurt-4O21) announces additional scientific evidence of superior plant leaf surface CO2 conductance results using dissolved CO2 foliar spray versus CO2 gassing. Dr. Matt Julius of St. Cloud State University (“SCSU”) has proven that dissolved CO2 conductance on the top surface of a lettuce leaf is essentially the same as the proven 800% plus dissolved CO2 conductance on the bottom surface of a lettuce leaf relative to CO2 gassing.

The importance of this scientific discovery to lettuce and other high value greenhouse growers is twofold; one, CO2 Foliar Spray delivered to the top as well as the bottom of a lettuce leaf is more effective in stimulating dramatically faster plant growth and plant size/mass than CO2 gassing and two, proves why GROW’s CO2 Foliar Spray technology integrated into advanced irrigation boom trials are showing sharply faster and larger plant growth.

This SCSU discovery confirms GROW’s technology potential using existing commercial irrigation booms for accelerating plant growth by spraying dissolved CO2 on the tops of plant leaves as effectively as the bottom of the leaves. Two large ongoing CO2 foliar spray trials use onsite commercial irrigation booms for micro greens in Ontario and flowers in Michigan. 

John Archibald, CEO noted  “This additional SCSU discovery and success integrating our CO2 technology into irrigation spray booms provides further evidence of the commercial potential of our technology. Our revenue generation model is long term site technology licenses and lease of our integration equipment in both indoor and outdoor boom spray systems.”

About CO2 GRO (TSX-GROW) or "GROW"

GROW's mission is to accelerate all indoor and outdoor value plant growth naturally, safely, and economically using its patented advanced CO2 foliar technologies.  GROW's global target plant markets are retail food at $8 trillion per year (Plunkett Mar 2017), retail non-food plants at an estimated $1 trillion per year and legal retail cannabis that may reach $50 billion per year by 2022 (Bay St Analyst estimates). GROW's sole focus is working with its plant grower and Agri-industrial partners in proving and adopting its CO2 technologies for specific growers’ plant yield needs.

The CO2 technologies work by transferring CO2 gas into water and foliar spraying across the entire plant leaf surface area, which is a semi permeable membrane. The dissolved concentrated CO2 then penetrates a leaf's surface area naturally like nicotine naturally dissolves through human skin from a nicotine patch. 

Foliar spraying natural nutrients and chemicals on plant leaves has been used for over 60 years by millions of indoor and outdoor plant growers. To date, outdoor growers have not had any way to enhance plant CO2-gas uptake for faster growth.

Indoor use of CO2 gassing has enhanced plant yields for over 60 years. However, over 50% of the CO2 gas is typically lost through ventilation. Current greenhouse CO2 gassing levels of up to 1500 PPM are also not ideal for worker health and safety. GROW's safer dissolved CO2 foliar spray can be used by indoor and outdoor plant growers with minimal CO2 gas lost.

GROW's CO2 technologies are commercially proven, scalable and easily adopted into existing irrigation systems. GROW's proven crop yield enhancements and revenue model is compelling for growers and Agri-industrial partners.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on GROW's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. Statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances, unless otherwise required to do so by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information, please visit www.co2gro.ca or contact Sam Kanes, VP Business Development at 416-315-7477.