BASF Branded Newsroom

Southern Rust in Corn: A Retailer’s Guide to Proactive Control Strategies

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:09:13 GMT

Help your growers avoid a southern rust corn calamity—and possible yield losses of up to 45%—by calmly and clearly advising them on fungicide for rust ahead of this disease’s arrival.¹ Generally, treatment is most effective at VT stage, which happens around mid to late July.

As a trusted adviser, you can assist growers by interpreting disease pressure maps, recommending fungicides with multiple modes of action and determining the economic ROI of treatment depending on the crop’s growth stage and environmental risks.

Here’s what you need to know to support growers in treating southern rust in corn before it escalates.

Consult regional monitoring and alert tools

A free online tracker from university experts, such as the Crop Protection Network’s Southern Rust of Corn Map or ipmPIPE’s Current Map for Southern Corn Rust , can help you keep tabs on encroaching corn rust in neighboring counties. Your local county extension office can also be a valuable resource.

If corn rust is detected in an adjoining county, it’s important to be vigilant. Southern rust spreads rapidly via wind currents. The disease presents as numerous small and round pustules on the upper part of leaves that leave orange or tan streaks on your fingers when rubbed off.²
It’s most common when temperatures hover between 77 F and 82 F, with at least six hours above 95% relative humidity.³

You can also share this free fungicide efficacy tool from Crop Protection Network with your growers so they can start evaluating fungicide for rust treatment options.

Talk through evaluation timing, efficacy and modes of action

Explain to your growers that for maximum disease suppression and economic return, it’s important to target fungicide applications between corn’s tasseling (VT) and milk (R3) growth stages.

Recommend fungicides such as BASF’s Veltyma® fungicide or Headline AMP® with multiple modes of action. With these products, your growers can experience southern rust control that typically lasts beyond the two-week protection period that often comes with a single mode of action.⁴

Explain the growth stage cutoff for fungicide efficacy

Your growers should be aware that applications of fungicide for rust fungi after milk stage rarely pencil out. That late in the season most grain fill is done, and the potential gain in yield protection isn’t substantial enough to recoup the cost of fungicide, fuel and time needed for treatment.

At the same time, later applications might reduce your growers’ losses from low test weight and lodging. As with any decision, advise your growers based on their unique situation.

Help growers fight southern corn rust damage throughout the season

Work with your growers through the dent stage (R5) to monitor and manage around southern corn rust damage. The disease has a tendency to reduce test weight and damage stalk integrity, which creates greater risk of lodging.

If this persists at harvest, consult extension resources on harvesting fields with southern rust for specific combine settings that can help.

Experts are available to help you and your growers make their southern rust corn treatment decisions. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or your regional BASF representative .

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Endnotes

Jackson-Ziems, Tamra, and Jenny Brhel. “Corn Disease Update: Fungicide Expectations for Disease Control.” CropWatch, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 15 Aug. 2024, https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2024/corn-disease-update-fungicide-expectations-disease-control/ . Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Duffeck, Maíra. “Corn Disease Update – July 14, 2025.” Oklahoma State University Extension E-Pest Alerts, July 2025, https://extension.okstate.edu/e-pest-alerts/2025/corn-disease-update.html . Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Jackson-Ziems, T. et al. “Corn Disease Update: Fungicide Expectations for Disease Control.”
Mueller, John. “Fungicides and Southern Rust in Corn.” Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Blog, 11 June 2021, https://blogs.clemson.edu/sccrops/fungicides-and-southern-rust-in-corn/ . Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

Soybean Fungicide Timing: Application Guidance and Benefits

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:28:10 GMT

Your soybean growers can benefit in several important ways from soybean fungicide applications during the critical R3 growth period, also known as the beginning pod stage. As an ag retailer, it’s important to get ahead of this window with practical recommendations to protect yield, maximize plant development and strengthen plant health.

Here’s a look at key points you should be prepared to discuss with growers to help them make the best decision about soybean fungicides for their fields.

What makes the R3 window so critical for soybean fungicide decisions?

The R3 growth stage for soybeans is a big deal. That’s because it’s the time when pods begin to set and mature. If management isn’t optimal at this stage, soybean yield potential will be in jeopardy.

To evaluate whether your grower’s soybean fungicide timing is on schedule for optimal yields, evaluate on a field-by-field basis. At least half of all plants should be at the R3 stage before doing a fungicide pass.¹

To determine if plants are at R3, look for these characteristics:

Pods between 3/16” and 3/4" long
The pod should be located on one of the plant’s four top nodes extending from the main stem, and there should be an open, developed leaf immediately above it²

Once at least half of plants are at R3, work with your growers to evaluate fungicides for soybean plants and schedule the application based on the crop’s needs.

Physiological benefits of foliar fungicide for soybeans

Soybean fungicides are not just a one-trick pony in protecting from developing diseases. Help your growers understand the benefits beyond mitigating the risk of pathogens in wet operating conditions. Soybean fungicides are proven to aid plant health, which translates to a more resilient crop and benefits overall yield.

For example, research has found that foliar fungicide can help soybean plants get through dry conditions or drought. It helps plants retain chlorophyll, improving CO2 fixation that supports growth. It can also boost the activity of nitrate reductase, an enzyme found in soybean leaves that contributes to pod fill.³

How fungicide for soybean plants can help canopy and seeds

Fungicide application using products such as Revytek® fungicide from BASF’s fungicide portfolio can contribute to a green and functional canopy late into the growing season.

Specifically, fungicide can preserve bottom leaves, encourage middle leaf growth and conserve top leaves that get the greatest amount of sunlight.⁴ This prevents premature defoliation, ensuring plants can maximize energy production for optimal seed fill.

Managing crop resistance to fungicide for soybeans and product selection

For best long-term soybean productivity, recommend disease management plans that include herbicides with multiple modes of action to limit the rise of fungicide resistance. Making sure your growers start the season with certified disease-free seed, consider crop rotation and pick disease-resistant cultivars can also help.

Experts are available to help you support your growers in their use of soybean fungicides. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or a company professional like your regional BASF representative .

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Endnotes

Singh, Maninder, and Michael Staton. “Determining R3 Growth Stage in Soybean.” Michigan State University Extension, 15 July 2021, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/determining-r3-growth-stage-in-soybean . Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Lindsey, Laura. “What Is the R3 Growth Stage?” C.O.R.N. Newsletter, Ohio State University Extension Agronomic Crops Network, 2018, https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-23/what-r3-growth-stage . Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Kanungo, Mansi, et al. “Foliar Application of Fungicide-Opera Alleviates Negative Impact of Water Stress in Soybean Plants.” Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, vol. 28, no. 5, May 2021, pp. 2626–2633, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X21001613 . Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
“Healthy Soybeans from the Bottom Up.” BASF Agricultural Solutions, https://agriculture.basf.us/crop-protection/news-events/stories-from-the-field/healthy-soybeans-from-the-bottom-up.html . Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

Bridging the Gap in Soybean Insect Control: Seed Treatments to Insecticides

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:03:11 GMT

Soybean insects are a persistent threat to your growers’ fields. It’s up to you as an ag retailer to help them confidently maintain the best protection against soybean pests by understanding how to bridge their risk-management strategy from treated seeds early in the season to foliar insecticides for soybeans as plants mature.

Follow these guidelines to set the right expectations upfront for growers and ensure they maintain proper soybean pest control until harvest.

Manage expectations for limited seed-treatment efficacy window

It’s important to let your growers know that neonicotinoid seed treatments provide only two to three weeks of systemic protection in soybean tissue. Protection generally drops off quickly by the V2 growth stage.

To ensure continuous protection beyond the planting window, help your growers plan to combat soybean insects with a whole-season mindset. This will help them avoid a false sense of security that crumbles as new waves of pests arrive.¹

Guide growers through the protection gap to enhance soybean insect pest management

As a retailer, you can step into the gap and help growers protect their soybean investment between the time seed treatment efficacy expires and aphids and soybean defoliators arrive about the middle of summer.

Set aside your sales cap and focus on partnering with growers as their local crop protection solutions expert.

Establish a scouting protocol for threshold-based management of soybean insects

Help your growers implement a routine field-scouting protocol beginning at V2 stage to monitor for insects that chew, pierce and suck plants. Share that scouting is the most reliable way to decide if and when a foliar insecticide application is needed. It also creates opportunities for you to provide your growers with agronomic expertise and timely product recommendations if infestation levels have reached specified thresholds.

Explain that your goal is to optimize crop productivity while minimizing cost to the grower. That means your pest level will vary from one field to another, and that will determine whether or not you apply insecticides for soybean aphids and other pests.

Aphids are a particularly good discussion topic when visiting with growers about soybean pest control. That’s because aphids are extremely damaging and often written off as already being covered by neonicotinoid seed treatments. Yet those treatments protect seedlings for just about three weeks before aphids do their worst damage during the late vegetative and bloom stages. Thus, a multipronged approach to treatment is likely to be needed.

Know the basics of soybean scouting. Good methods include whole-plant counts, which can be conducted through R5. If your grower is averaging 250 aphids per plant and more than 80% of plants have aphids, with populations growing, they’ve likely hit the economic threshold for an insecticide application.²

Some key BASF products designed for the most aggressive soybean insects include:

Experts are available to help your growers protect their crops against soybean insects. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or a crop protection company professional like your regional BASF representative .

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Endnotes

Krupke, Christian H., and John L. Obermeyer. Soybean Insect Control Recommendations. Purdue University Extension, https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-77/E-77.html . Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Koch, Robert, and Bruce Potter. “Scouting for Soybean Aphid.” University of Minnesota Extension, reviewed 2023, https://extension.umn.edu/soybean-pest-management/scouting-soybean-aphid#speed-scouting-1353561 . Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.

Corn Insecticides: Combatting Resistance with Multiple Modes of Action

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:04:31 GMT

Your growers deserve the best guidance on using corn insecticides to limit corn insect pressure, which often peaks from mid- to late summer. To mitigate the risk of corn rootworm damage and other threats, growers need to adopt effective practices that also avoid encouraging insecticide resistance.

Here’s your guide to helping growers use corn rootworm insecticides the right way and find the best insecticide for corn as part of a balanced integrated pest management plan.

Putting corn rootworm damage in perspective

Corn rootworm is extremely destructive. It claimed an estimated 342 million bushels of U.S. corn in 2024, more than half of all North American grain lost to invertebrate pests.¹ To make matters worse, there is no single control method known to provide 100% protection against corn rootworm.²

Why an integrated management approach works best

Your growers will benefit most from a strategic combination of an integrated pest management plan and corn insecticides. Evidence-based practices that your corn growers should consider include:

Weed control to eradicate volunteer corn and grassy plants that could harbor pests
Regular crop rotation between corn and non-host crops to reduce pressure.
Scouting of fields with known pest problems to locate and address damage for the following crop.
Seed selection to ensure Bt traits are effective against anticipated pests
Integration of multiple soil applied insecticide modes of action to reduce the chance of resistance

Be aware that Bt-resistant corn rootworm is something your growers must monitor even if they don’t raise continuous corn. That’s because corn rootworm can infest their crops after immigrating from a neighbor’s continuous corn land.³

Grower options for corn rootworm insecticides

As a trusted retail partner to local growers, you can recommend products such as Nurizma® . This in-furrow insecticide targets a unique receptor site in rootworm to protect growers’ corn seeds.

Importantly, Nurizma shows no cross-resistance with existing modes of action. That means it’s an effective supplemental management tool that can control underground pests that might develop resistance to Bt traits and other in-furrow products. The best insecticide for corn is one that protects today’s crop while shielding against future threats, including resistance.

This insecticide for corn can also be used to protect against pests such as:

Seed corn maggots
White grubs
Wireworms

When strategizing with your growers, emphasize the value of long-term field sustainability. This means rotating through the products they use with different modes of action to ensure those products continue to be effective against pests for many seasons to come.

An in-furrow corn insecticide can help extend the quality and productivity of fields where they grow corn. Do insecticides increase the yield of a corn crop? Not directly—but you can explain to growers that these products help preserve potential yield from damage caused by belowground pests. An in-furrow corn insecticide can be effective for corn rootworm.

Experts are available to help your growers make the right corn pest-management decisions. Encourage them to reach out to a nearby extension office agent or a trusted adviser such as their regional BASF representative .

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Endnotes

Reisig, Dominic, et al. “Corn Invertebrate Loss Estimates from the United States and Ontario, Canada — 2024.” Crop Protection Network, 17 Feb. 2025, https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/publications/corn-invertebrate-loss-estimates-from-the-united-states-and-ontario-canada-2024 . Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Carroll, Matthew, PhD. “Managing Corn Rootworm Pressure.” Iowa Soybean Association’s Iowa Soybean Review, 6 Jan. 2026, https://www.iasoybeans.com/newsroom/article/isr-january-2026-managing-corn-rootworm-pressure . Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Wangila, David S., et al. “Considerations for Managing Corn Rootworm — It’s Not Too Late.” CropWatch, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 10 July 2025, https://cropwatch.unl.edu/considerations-managing-corn-rootworm-its-not-too-late/ . Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

Optimize Cotton Yield Per Acre with Proper Cotton Herbicide Timing

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:13:36 GMT

Cotton growers look to you, as an ag retailer, to help them optimize cotton yield per acre. That means focusing on effective cotton weed control through proactive planning, disciplined timing and high-quality cotton herbicide recommendations.

Following the “start clean, stay clean” philosophy can help you guide growers to a proactive versus reactive position to safeguard yield potential, manage resistance and improve cotton weed control for long-term field performance.

Tip #1: Act within the critical weed control window for optimal cotton yield per acre

The first thing to emphasize with cotton growers is that as soon as their crop emerges, it’s time to take action on weed control. Neglecting cotton weed control within the first 11 to 12 weeks can cut yields up to 90%.¹ To manage weeds, recommend control measures within the first one or two weeks post-emergence.

Uncontrolled early weeds not only limit cotton yield but contribute to trash and lint discoloration at harvest. That reduces cotton quality grades and profitability.

Tip #2: Save money with a proactive herbicide strategy, not a rescue approach

Show your cotton growers how they can save money by implementing a proactive herbicide strategy rather than rescuing the crop later.

Point out that weeds can grow rapidly if left unchecked amid weather-related delays or for other reasons. The best-case scenario is to target weeds with cotton post-emergence herbicide before they reach 2” in height.²

Tip #3: Layer cotton herbicide residuals

Because cotton’s canopy develops slowly compared to the canopies of faster-growing crops, a layered approach to applying cotton herbicide residuals is essential. This strategy maximizes weed control as the crop matures, minimizes crop injury and tackles herbicide-resistant weeds with multiple modes of action.

Explain to growers that it’s often best to apply the right group of residual herbicides when cotton is at the 1- to 3-leaf stage and a separate set of residuals when cotton reaches the 5- to 7-leaf stage.³

The goal is an established cotton canopy that can outcompete weeds to reach its full potential.

A “start clean, stay clean” strategy helps protect cotton yield potential. Proactive weed control and layered residuals are key.

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Tip #4: Rotate modes of action to slow herbicide resistance in weeds

Weed species such as Palmer amaranth are a growing concern for cotton growers. In North Carolina, for example, 95% of Palmer populations surveyed had individual plants resistant to both ALS inhibitors and glyphosate.⁴

To give your customers the best chance of long-term success, encourage them to rotate through different herbicide modes of action. This can slow herbicide resistance, allowing for continued cotton productivity for many seasons to come.

Recommend products with multiple modes of action to achieve the best cotton herbicide outcomes across different weed populations. BASF’s cotton herbicide portfolio includes several good options, including:

Tip #5: Boost average cotton yield per acre with customized field-by-field plans

Work with your cotton growers to evaluate each field’s unique weed-control needs. Focus scouting on:

Soil type and pH: Cotton herbicide activation and longevity in the soil varies wildly by product type and environmental conditions. Some herbicides such as prometryn and metribuzin last longer in neutral or close-to-neutral soils of 6.0 to 7.0, while others rapidly degrade in those conditions.⁵ Help growers figure out how herbicides might behave in their fields and adjust accordingly.
Moisture and environmental conditions: Remind growers to double-check which products do best in their area. Recognize that soil moisture and soil texture can improve or reduce the efficacy of specific herbicides.
Field history: Coach growers to review field records about past weed-pressure issues and for reminders on the location of weed seed banks.

Experts are available to help you support growers as they make their cotton herbicide decisions. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or a professional like your regional BASF representative .

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Endnotes

Agrawal, Aditi, and Manpreet Singh. “Agronomic Interventions for Sustainable Weed Management in Cotton.” Journal of Cotton Science, vol. 29, Special Issue 1, 2025, pp. 1–8, https://www.cotton.org/journal/2025-29/SI1/1.cfm . Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
University of California Statewide IPM Program. “Integrated Weed Management.” Agriculture: Cotton Pest Management Guidelines, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/cotton/integrated-weed-management/#gsc.tab=0 . Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
University of California Statewide IPM Program. “Integrated Weed Management.” Agriculture: Cotton Pest Management Guidelines, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/cotton/integrated-weed-management/#gsc.tab=0 . Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Cahoon, Charles W., and Alan C. York. “Weed Management in Cotton.” 2026 Cotton Information, NC State Extension, 29 Jan. 2026, content.ces.ncsu.edu/cotton-information/weed-management-in-cotton . Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Manuchehri, Misha, and Brian Arnall. “How Does Soil pH Impact Herbicides?” Oklahoma State University Extension, July 2018, extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/how-does-soil-ph-impact-herbicides.html . Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

Evaluating the ROI of Applying Corn Fungicides During V Stages

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:53:50 GMT

Corn fungicides play a critical role in protecting yield and reducing disease risk. For retailers and growers, the decision to spray is directly tied to protecting a farmer’s investment. However, the return on that investment is not determined by product choice alone. Timing often has just as much influence on whether a fungicide application delivers an economic benefit.

Effective timing requires more than watching the calendar. It depends on understanding the hybrids being grown, the level of disease risk in the field and the crop’s stage of development. Together, these factors shape how disease pressure develops and when intervention is most likely to protect yield.

Hybrid selection and disease risk

Hybrid genetics establish the baseline for disease risk. Growers can optimize their spending by working with a retailer who can articulate how disease tolerance traits inform timing decisions. While no hybrid is immune to disease, some slow infections or reduce severity compared to others.¹

That genetic baseline helps determine whether early-season protection is warranted. For example, a susceptible hybrid planted into residue-heavy ground or exposed to prolonged wet conditions may face elevated risk earlier in the season. These environments favor infection and increase the potential for yield loss if left unmanaged.

In those situations, closer monitoring and earlier intervention may be justified. Hybrids with stronger tolerance traits may allow growers to focus protection around key reproductive stages, where fungicide applications often provide the greatest economic return.²

Scouting and environmental signals

Hybrid knowledge becomes more valuable when paired with field scouting . Separating perceived risk from actual field conditions is where retailers can step in and help growers navigate the path to highest fungicide ROI.

Extended leaf wetness, warm temperatures, dense canopies and a history of foliar disease all increase the likelihood of infection. Regular scouting helps identify early symptoms before disease spreads, allowing growers more flexibility in their timing decisions.³

Rather than relying on calendar-based applications, scouting ensures corn fungicides are applied in response to real conditions. This improves both corn disease management and the likelihood of economic return.

Growth stage timing for corn fungicides

Spraying at the optimal time is a key driver in protecting yields. Corn is susceptible to fungal diseases during the V stages of growth and into the reproductive stages. Since most fungicides have only a 21- to 28-day window of protection, early V-stage applications may not cover R1 and beyond.⁴

Research consistently shows that fungicide applications during the VT to R1 window often produce the strongest yield response.⁵ At this stage, protecting the ear leaf and upper canopy preserves photosynthesis needed for grain fill.

Early V5 to V7 applications typically provide less return because many foliar diseases develop later, after canopy closure increases humidity. However, earlier applications may be justified when scouting reveals elevated disease pressure or when susceptible hybrids are planted in high-risk environments, such as continuous corn or heavy-residue fields.⁶

Corn fungicide timing decisions should reflect specific field conditions rather than fixed schedules. Recommendations for fungicide application timing should factor in both crop stage and disease pressure to target protection where it delivers the greatest benefit.

Matching product strategy to corn fungicide timing decisions

An effective fungicide strategy links product choice to timing, specific disease, and disease pressure. Corn fungicides protect healthy tissue rather than reversing existing damage, so applications made after the disease is established rarely produce strong economic returns.

Selecting the right product and proper fungicide timing on corn reduces unnecessary applications while helping preserve long-term effectiveness through resistance management.⁷

Fungicide ROI is rarely about spraying more. It is about spraying strategically. When retailers combine hybrid knowledge, scouting insight and growth-stage timing, they help growers protect yield efficiently. In tight-margin seasons, informed timing ensures each corn fungicide application works toward measurable return.

Experts are available to help you determine the best time to spray fungicide on corn and which fungicides are right for your region. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or a seed company professional like your regional BASF representative .

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Endnotes

Onofre, Rodrigo. “Fungicide Considerations for Corn: Scouting, Timing, and Disease Risk.” Agronomy eUpdates, Issue 1058, Kansas State University, 20 June 2025, https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article/fungicide-considerations-for-corn-scouting-timing-and-disease-risk-647-6
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Diseases of Corn and Management.” Cornell CALS Field Crops, Cornell University, https://cals.cornell.edu/field-crops/corn/diseases-corn/management .
Ohio State University Extension. “Corn Fungicides: To Spray or Not to Spray.” Knox County Agriculture and Natural Resources, 10 Aug. 2023, https://u.osu.edu/knoxcountyag/2023/08/10/corn-fungicides-to-spray-or-not-to-spray/ .
Jackson-Ziems, Tamra, and Jenny Brhel. “Corn Disease Update: Fungicide Expectations and Disease Control.” CropWatch, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, 15 Aug. 2024, https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2024/corn-disease-update-fungicide-expectations-disease-control/ .
Mueller, Brian, and Damon Smith. Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology Fungicide Test and Disease Management Summary 2025. University of Wisconsin–Madison Plant Pathology, 2025, Badger Crop Network, https://badgercropnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Fungicide-Test-Summary_FINAL.pdf .
Jackson-Ziems, Tamra, and Jenny Brhel. “Corn Disease Update: Fungicide Expectations and Disease Control.” CropWatch, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, 15 Aug. 2024, https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2024/corn-disease-update-fungicide-expectations-disease-control/ .
Crop Protection Network. Corn Foliar Fungicide Efficacy 2025. Crop Protection Network, 2025, https://cropprotectionnetwork.s3.amazonaws.com/corn-foliar-efficacy-2025.pdf .