CO2 GRO is pleased to announce the Appointment of Dr. Matt Julius as Acting Chief Science Officer Effective January 2019

TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toronto based CO2 GRO Inc. ("GROW" or the "Company") (((TSX-V: GROW, OTCQB:BLONF) is pleased to announce that Dr. Matt Julius, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, St. Cloud State University, has agreed to take a nine-month sabbatical from his Professorship to work exclusively with GROW as Acting Chief Science Officer starting in January 2019. Dr. Julius' appointment is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. 

Recently Dr. Julius has overseen the CO2 GRO Foliar Spray trials and plant physiology experiments conducted on lettuce and peppers at St. Cloud State University, which saw significant improvements in CO2 conductance and demonstrated that CO2 conductance on plant leaf top surfaces was almost as effective as the bottom leaf surface, as well as dramatic (4x) gains in chlorophyll A growth. This has significant benefits to all agriculture producers, both indoors and outdoors.

Dr. Julius obtained his Pd.D., from the University of Michigan in 2000 and from 2000 has been a Professor of Biology at St. Cloud State University. Dr. Julius has authored and co-authored numerous papers with manuscripts appearing in many phycology focused publications along with non-algae based journals including Aquatic Toxicology and the Journal of Zoology. He was/is also an associate editor for Phycological Research and an associate editor for Diatom Monographs.

John Archibald, CEO of GROW stated "We are delighted to have Matt devote his entire sabbatical to focus exclusively on our North American client plant growers and agri-industrial partner relationships, advancing the commercial roll out of the CO2 Foliar Spray technology. Building our team of professionals, is another key piece of our plan and effort to accomplishing our paramount goal; accreting value to our shareholders."

About CO2 GRO Inc.

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

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.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on CO2GRO'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.