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 .

________________________________________________

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.

Simplify Nitrogen Management and Protect Precious Fertilizer Investments

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:30:49 GMT

Managing nitrogen is complicated. With run-off, leaching, volatilization, and missed timing due to weather and equipment breakdowns, around 30% of applied nitrogen can be lost, or, in other words, wasted. Add in high fertilizer costs and low commodity prices, and retailers and growers are feeling the pressure to protect their precious fertilizer investments more than ever.

Better Nitrogen. Better Intake.
Growers deserve a better solution to simplify nitrogen programs, and that solution is alignN®, an intelligent foliar nitrogen tool that can be easily incorporated into a successful fertility strategy. It is a precisely formulated encapsulated urea molecule that delivers nitrogen when and where it’s needed most—directly on and into the leaf. This level of precision innovation with nitrogen means that alignN® can help growers optimize the overall effectiveness of their fertility programs.

And if you were wondering if alignN® complicates on-farm logistics, there’s no need to worry. It’s compatible with most existing nitrogen programs, herbicides, fungicides, and other nutritional inputs, and can be applied via ground, aerial, and drone. This ease of use allows growers to spoon feed nitrogen all season long, matching the crop’s growth and nitrogen demand curves.

(The Tidal Grow AgriScience Team)

Better Yields.
alignN® takes the biggest pain points growers face (inefficiency, logistics, and cost) and overcomes them with a tool that’s flexible, proven, and easy to integrate into existing programs. Check out the results achieved from 10,000 acres of large-scale grower trials that offered average yield bumps of +7 bushels per acre and over $18 per acre net returns.

(The Tidal Grow AgriScience Team)

Are you ready to learn how alignN® can simplify your nitrogen management and boost yield potential? Visit our website to learn more .

¹_{No nitrogen reduced from growers’ current program. alignN® added into current program.}
²_{40 Ibs. N/A reduced from growers’ pre-or at-plant standard program + alignN® included.}
³_{20 Ibs. N/A reduced from growers’ pre-or at-plant standard program + alignN® included.}

_{About the Author}
_{Trey Cutts, V.P. of Commercial Agriculture Science at Tidal Grow AgriScience, has enjoyed a diverse career in the agriculture industry spanning both public and private roles within North America and overseas. He is passionate about collaborating with cross-functional teams and external partners to bring technical concepts to commercial reality and facilitate solution impact at scale. Trey received his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding from Texas A&M University, and his M.S. and B.S. degrees in Crop and Soil Science from the University of Georgia.}

Can Adjuvants Boost the Bottom Line?

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:06:53 GMT

Start clean, stay clean. Sounds simple in theory, but when it comes to weed management, making it happen (and on a budget) is easier said than done.

As valuable as spring burndowns are, a burndown alone doesn’t usually cut it. Between weeds’ herbicide tolerances, trait-specific requirements, changing regulations and more, controlling weeds takes a complex tank mix and careful planning.

With all those moving parts, it’s understandable why so many growers overlook adjuvants. But that could be a costly mistake, according to Dylan Tyler, an agronomist with WinField^® United .

Should Growers Use an Adjuvant?
Throughout his time as an agronomist, Dylan Tyler has seen and heard it all. He tells us many growers ask if adjuvants are really necessary in their herbicide applications. Tyler’s response? “Yes, without a doubt. Adjuvants should be included in every tank mix to help get chemistries to the target.”

Tyler emphasizes the right adjuvant can help ensure your herbicide is working towards its purpose.

“In a hostile environment of weeds, you need to level the playing field to give herbicides a better shot at success. An adjuvant is just that — it levels the playing field, giving you an advantage over weeds,” he says.

Research by the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA) shows how critical the right adjuvant is in achieving proper control. By excluding an adjuvant (when the label calls for one), growers could face a 30-90% reduction in herbicide performance.¹ Including the wrong type of adjuvant also is risky, with the potential for herbicide performance to decrease by up to 50% and the possibility of crop injury.¹

What Type of Adjuvant is the “Right Adjuvant?”
Many common herbicides require an oil adjuvant to emulsify the tank mix and reach their full potential.

Tyler explains, “Beyond emulsifying, oil adjuvants play a key role in herbicide uptake. When pesticides are sprayed, the droplets sit on the leaf’s waxy surface, where they face the possibility of being degraded by the sun before they absorb into the plant. Oil adjuvants help prevent this by dissolving the plant’s waxy cuticle, facilitating quicker and increased uptake.”

In WinField United Controlled Environments Trials, adding SuperLock^™ adjuvant to the tank enhanced weed control of smooth pigweed vs. herbicide alone.

(Photo credit: WinField^® United)

There are two broad classes of oil adjuvants: methylated seed oils (MSOs) and crop oil concentrates (COCs). This includes those with a high surfactant component (HSMSOs and HSCOCs). The primary agronomic difference is MSOs are intense with more potential phyto than COCs but can be necessary in certain fields to get effective weed control.

To choose the best for your grower’s needs, Tyler suggests starting with the herbicide label’s recommendation.

What About The Bottom Line?
While input costs are admittedly high, adding an adjuvant to herbicide applications could pay off in greater overall ROI.

“Analyzing expenses alone isn’t always helpful,” Tyler says, suggesting a shift in focus to ROI.

“Look at weed control holistically. Every droplet from the sprayer is just as important in the process as those bigger line items — the sprayer, the driver, the nozzles. When those don’t work, you throw away dollars, time and yields. The same principle applies for chemistries. For every droplet lost to drift or degradation, that’s another negative towards ROI. And if you don’t manage weeds effectively the first time, the cost of additional applications is higher than the initial investment of a good adjuvant,” Tyler notes.

For growers looking to stretch herbicide performance and dollars, Tyler recommends SuperLock^™ adjuvant .

“SuperLock^™ adjuvant is one of the firsts in the industry to add drift reduction to a crop oil,” he explains. “By combining a HSCOC and drift and deposition aid, SuperLock^™ adjuvant is a convenient option to maximize ROI potential with minimal effort. It’s also flexible across tank-mix partners, including glufosinate, 2,4-D, clethodim and mesotrione,” Tyler adds.

An Agronomist’s Final Word
“If growers are thinking about what is cheapest instead of what will improve ROI, they might only be hurting themselves,” Tyler cautions. “As you think about 2026, I urge you to re-evaluate your grower’s weed control goals and determine an adjuvant plan that will work for their fields and budget.”

¹Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology, 2022. https://cpda.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CPDA-Adjuvant-Cert-Program-Flyer-2022.pdf.

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 growers bridge the protection gap from seed treatments to foliar insecticides for season-long soybean pest control.

(Daren Mueller, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org)

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

Corn rootworm pressure can peak in mid- to late summer. Advise clients to consider an IPM plan, effective Bt traits and multiple insecticide modes of action.

(Eric Burkness, Bugwood.org)

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.

Conservation and Market Opportunity: Connecting For On-Farm Success

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:20:40 GMT

For the Krueger family, stewarding their Indiana land is a matter of legacy.

In 1994, Walter Krueger was named 1994 Master Farm Conservationist of the Year and said this in his acceptance speech: “God has made a good Earth, and it’s my responsibility to help protect what God has given us.”

Three generations later, Walter’s great-grandson Aaron continues that legacy. After graduating from Purdue University, Krueger returned to the family farm tired of seeing muddy rainwater and soil erosion. He knew the key to success was investment in his farm’s soil health.

Connecting Legacy to Stewardship

He began by implementing cover crops throughout his operation, which he called a learning curve.

After a lot of trial and error, he believes that he has finally landed on a cover crop mixture that optimizes his potential for success in his cash crops, which include corn, soybeans and cereal rye.

“Wheat is a good starter program for a cover crop, but it likes to put on roots when it flowers, which is problematic,” Krueger says. “My advice is to look beyond just wheat into rye and a mixture.”

Like most growers, Krueger says he experiments with his cover crop mix, but mostly chooses to stay with a grass, legume and brassica trident. His preferred mix ahead of corn includes four total legumes because they are easy to plant into, making it easy to plant into green, which is important for continuous soil cover.

Peas as his main legume, Krueger says, works well because peas produce a lot of biomass that is easily degradable.

Connecting Cover Crops to the Bottom Line

While cover crops are an investment, they also provide ways to save on other farm inputs and management needs. For Krueger, keeping his cover crop going throughout the season provides many benefits, including maintaining soil temperature and reducing inputs. 

“Since we’ve started using more peas and vetch in our cover crop mix, we’ve been weaning our nitrogen use back,” he says. “And we aren’t using as many herbicides and fungicides because keeping your soil covered helps to suppress disease.” 

Connecting Farm Data to Market Opportunity

Krueger knows that cover crops are paying off because he regularly does soil tests that yield him valuable data. The data from those tests are critical to him making better operational decisions on his farm, but it also can unlock additional market opportunity.

In addition to soil health data, farmers across the U.S. are using precision data to monetize premiums. Through Farm Journal’s Connected Ag Project, farmers like Aaron are connected with the financial and technical assistance needed to make their data work as hard as they do.

“Farmers in all sectors can use data to enhance their operations – consider dairy farmers using wearable cow sensors or automated manure management,” says Andrew Lyon, director of technical assistance at Farm Journal. “This information not only allows farmers to steward their land and resources better, but it creates an opportunity for them to work with their buyers to monetize that information into higher premiums through access to Net Zero initiatives through major dairy cooperatives and retailers.”

“Transparency is a currency that the supply chain is willing to monetize,” he adds. “With the Connected Ag Project, farmers can gain access to the practices and record-keeping needed to capture these opportunities.”

The Connected Ag Project links farmers in any sector to these market opportunities by providing financial and technical assistance to implement practices and gather digital data.

Learn more about Farm Journal’s Connected Ag Project and how it can connect your conservation and data to opportunity by visiting https://www.trustinfood.com/connectedagproject/ .

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number NR233A750004G096

How Planning Ahead Can Help Protect Your Customer's Yield Potential

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:44:34 GMT

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell

Though coined by the inventor of the telephone, this idea rings especially true in agriculture. Each growing season, success often depends on the planning done long before the planter rolls. One key area where preparation can make a difference is fungicide strategy.

Why Plan for Fungicides?

No season unfolds exactly as planned. Disease, heat, wind, drought and hail all pose real threats to corn and soybean yields. For many farmers, the default response has been to react to these agronomic challenges as they appear. While understandable, this reactive approach can result in inconsistent fungicide performance and uncertain return on investment.

“Fungal diseases in corn and soybeans have a latent period, meaning the disease is already inside the plant before symptoms are visible to the naked eye,” says Kim Tutor, Technical Marketing Manager for Row Crop Fungicides with BASF. “That’s part of the reason why it’s important to be proactive rather than reactive with fungicide programs.”

That’s why preparing crops to withstand disease pressure and environmental stress before it takes hold can make the difference between simply managing challenges and staying ahead of them. A proactive fungicide program with Veltyma^® fungicide helps protect yield potential and support plant health, no matter what the season brings.

2024 BASF-sponsored replicated, large plot trial. Madison County, IA. All fungicides applied at labeled rates at VT growth stage. Average yield for replicates 1, 3 and 4. Replicate 2 removed due to poor drainage and nitrogen loss. Yield advantages are in comparison to the untreated control. Photos taken 68 days after treatment (9/16/2024).

(Photo credit: BASF)

Why Veltyma Fungicide?

Veltyma fungicide brings consistent performance, helping protect your yield and ROI. “Veltyma fungicide provides the consistency corn and soybean growers need year in and year out, regardless of the stress,” says Tutor. “Our Revysol^® active ingredient binds more effectively at fungal sites of action, driving stronger and longer-lasting disease control.”

In corn, Veltyma fungicide reliably provides a +7.0 bushel per acre (bu/A) average yield increase over other fungicides.¹ It helps to protect against challenging diseases like southern rust, tar spot and gray leaf spot. Veltyma fungicide also helps prevent stalk cannibalization to keep corn standing stronger for longer, meaning your customers won’t be leaving bushels in the field at harvest.

Soybean acres treated with Veltyma fungicide can see up to a +4.0 bu/A average yield increase over untreated acres,² with protection against frogeye leaf spot and Cercospora blight. It also reduces ethylene accumulation and decreases canopy temperatures, which help drive more efficient photosynthesis. That means healthy, vigorous soybean plants and higher yield potential at the end of your season.

2024 BASF-sponsored, small plot replicated trial. Warnke Research Service; Ellendale, MN. All treatments applied with NIS 0.25% v/v at R3 soybean growth stage (7/31/2024). Photos taken 50 DAT (9/19/2024). Yield advantage values shown are in comparison to the untreated control.

(Photo credit: BASF)

“Veltyma fungicide outperforms other fungicides eight times out of ten and beats the untreated acre nine times out of ten,³” says Tutor. “If there’s one word that describes its performance, it’s consistency.”

Real Results on Your Customers’ Farms

The Real Results Yield Challenge is the largest nationwide comparison-plot program from BASF, encouraging farmers to put performance-driven fungicides, like Veltyma fungicide, to the test. Thousands of farmers participated in 2025 and saw the impact of performance-driven fungicides firsthand.

This season, get ahead of disease threats in your customers’ corn and soybeans. Contact your BASF representative to learn more about Veltyma fungicide and the 2026 Real Results Yield Challenge .

¹Results based on 2019-2023 RevX Fields On-Farm demonstrations against numerous other corn fungicides. For a full list of head-to-head comparisons visit RevXFields.com Veltyma fungicide applied at 7 fl oz/A. All fungicides applied at labeled rates to VT-R3 corn.  

²2022-2024 BASF-sponsored small-plot, replicated soybean trials. Locations: NE (4), IA (5), IL (4), IN (3), MI (1), MN (4), MO (1), OH (2), SD (1). Application rates were as follows: Delaro^® Complete fungicide 8 fl oz/A, Miravis^® Neo fungicide 13.7 fl oz/A and Veltyma fungicide 7 fl oz/A. All treatments applied with NIS 0.25% v/v at R3 soybean growth stage

³ 2019-2024 RevXFields On-Farm Demonstrations. For more information visit RevXFields.com.

Always read and follow label directions. Revysol and Veltyma are registered trademarks of BASF. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of any such trademark does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by its owner. ©2026 BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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 .

________________________________________________

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 .

________________________________________________

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 .

Helping Soybean Farmers Win Against Southern Disease Pressure

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:33:21 GMT

In any given season, Southern soybean farmers will likely face intense disease pressure and environmental stress that can quickly erode yield potential. Warm temperatures and consistent moisture create ideal conditions for aggressive diseases like Cercospora leaf blight, Frogeye leaf spot and Septoria brown spot to take hold.

“Southern soybean farmers face significant disease pressure,” says Kim Tutor, Technical Marketing Manager for Row Crop Fungicides with BASF. “They have to manage through unpredictable weather conditions and growing fungicide resistance.”

With the continued spread of resistance to FRAC Group 11 and FRAC Group 1 fungicides, retailers face a growing challenge: helping farmers protect yield in an increasingly unforgiving disease environment. That’s where Revylok^® fungicide comes in.

Powerful Performance Against Disease

Revylok fungicide combines two proven active ingredients, Revysol^® (FRAC Group 3) and Xemium^® (FRAC Group 7), in a formulation designed for rapid plant uptake paired with powerful residual.

“Revylok fungicide meets a critical need in the South by delivering strong, long-lasting disease control that holds up under hot, humid and unpredictable conditions,” says Tutor. “Its residual strength helps protect yield through the season.”

With activity across a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens, Revylok fungicide delivers consistent control of diseases that have developed resistance to FRAC Group 11 and FRAC Group 1 chemistries. Revylok fungicide provides both preventative and curative activity to help limit disease development and control existing infections.

Lock in ROI

Yield and return on investment drive every fungicide decision. Across multiple years , Revylok fungicide has delivered consistent performance on both fronts.

“Revylok has shown an 8.2 bu/A yield advantage over the untreated check¹and outperformed other fungicide brands by 2.4 bu/A,²” Tutor says.

That performance stems from agronomic strengths that make a difference in Southern production systems:

Rapid uptake for fast-acting protection
Strong rainfastness for reliable performance under variable rainfall
Excellent residual activity during critical reproductive stages

2024 BASF sponsored replicated field trials Portageville, MO. Application rates were as follows: Revylok Fungicide 5.5 fl oz/A, Miravis Top 13.7 fl oz/a, Lucento 5.5 fl oz/a, Delaro Complete 8 fl oz/a. All treatments applied with NIS 0.25% v/v at R2 – R3 soybean growth stage. R2 soybean growth stage application occurred on July 12th, 2024, and the R3 soybean growth stage application occurred on July 19th, 2023. Cercospora leaf blight (CLB) severity was rated 42 days after treatment at R2 and 35 days after treatment at R3 on August 23^rd.

(Photo credit: BASF)

Plant Performance

Disease control is only part of the equation. Revylok fungicide also supports soybean plant performance when applied at R2–R3 soybean growth stages. Applications during this window have been shown to enhance root growth and architecture, improving water access and heat tolerance.

“Stronger root systems help soybeans maintain productivity under environmental stress,” Tutor says. “That’s especially important when heat and moisture variability can challenge yield potential.”

A Reliable Tool for Retailers and Growers

As disease pressure intensifies and resistance continues to spread, dependable fungicide options are essential. Revylok fungicide delivers the disease control, plant performance and yield protection Southern soybean farmers demand — and the confidence retailers need when making recommendations.

Real Results Yield Challenge

The Real Results Yield Challenge helps retailers and farmers evaluate fungicide performance through on-farm, side-by-side comparisons. Farmers apply a BASF performance-driven fungicide, like Revylok fungicide, alongside an untreated or competitive treatment, then share in-season photos and harvest yield data.

“Whether you’ve used BASF products for years or are just considering them, the Real Results Yield Challenge invites growers to put performance to the test on their own acres,” says Tutor.

Talk with your BASF representative to learn how Revylokfungicide can strengthen your soybean disease management programs this season, and to learn more about the Real Results Yield Challenge .

Sources Cited:
1 2022-2024 BASF-sponsored small-plot replicated trials (n=16). Revylok® fungicide (5.5 fl oz/A) applied with 0.25% v/v NIS at the R2.5 - R3 soybean growth stage. Trials conducted in AR, GA, KY, TN, LA, MO, MS, NC, and AL.

2 2020–2023 RevX Fields on-farm demos and BASF-sponsored university and consultant-led small-plot, replicated research trials. Revylok fungicide applied at 5.5 fl oz/A. All other fungicides applied at labeled rates. Applications to R2–R4 soybeans.

Always read and follow label directions. Revylok, Revysol and Xemium are registered trademarks of BASF. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of any such trademark does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by its owner. ©2026 BASF Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Zidua® Brand Herbicides: Long-Lasting Performance for Your Soybeans

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:32:37 GMT

Every year you face countless variables: commodity prices, resistant weeds, volatile growing conditions and disease pressures to name a few. In most industries, that much unpredictability would be devastating. For soybean farmers like you, it’s another day in the life.

While so much can change, some things stay the same in your fields.

“One constant threat, season after season, is weed pressure. Soybean farmers need flexibility, with options that help them to adapt to different growing conditions,” says Matt Inman, Technical Marketing Manager at BASF.

Enter Zidua^® brand herbicides to help you stay ahead of your 2026 challenges.

Zidua Brand Herbicides

Zidua brand herbicides make your choice of herbicide an easy one — especially because they set the standard for long-lasting weed control before it was the expectation.

“With the Zidua brand herbicide portfolio, you have options that can lead the charge against tough weeds in soybeans,” says Inman.

The portfolio’s three products meet the season’s evolving needs with lasting solutions for your soybean acres and powerful residual protection against resistant weeds like Palmer amaranth, waterhemp and Italian ryegrass.

Looking for a Clean Start?

Zidua^® PRO herbicide gives soybeans a strong foundation and long-lasting pre-emergence residual control. Three modes of action provide comprehensive protection against early-season weeds, plus rapid burndown activity that gives you a stronger start for even stronger finishes.

“Zidua PRO herbicide is comprehensive,” says Inman. “It provides long-lasting residual activity and powerful burndown in one complete solution.”

Comparisons of Sonic herbicide applied at 5 oz wt/A, Tendovo herbicide applied at 48 fl oz/A and Zidua PRO herbicide applied at 6 fl oz/A in Seymour, IL pre-emergence on May 18, 2023. Photo taken June 23, 2023. Primary weeds: Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, crabgrass, barnyard grass and purslane.

(Photo credit: BASF)

No More Tradeoffs

Zidua^® PLUS herbicide — launching in 2026* — will bring application flexibility, comprehensive weed control and residual endurance to soybeans with two modes of action. Zidua PLUS will be able to be applied from pre-plant through post-emergence, so you can take control back of your acres.

“When Zidua PLUS herbicide is registered, it will provide the long-lasting residual benefits of Zidua PRO herbicide with flexibility of pre- or post-emergence application. That’s because Zidua PRO herbicide can’t be applied once soybeans emerge,” says Inman.

Need a Follow-Up that Follows Through?

Zidua^® SC herbicide is your trusted, go-to solo Group 15 herbicide follow-up for extended post-emergent control in a single mode of action. When combined in tank mixes with other post-emergence knockdowns like Liberty® ULTRA herbicide, Zidua SC herbicide provides the residual control of a post-emergence application well into the season.

“We’re looking to overlap residuals to keep weeds from germinating, using Zidua SC herbicide as a straightforward, effective option to provide the residual control of weeds that have not emerged in post-emergence applications,” says Inman.

Make the Lasting Choice

No matter the challenges you face this season, one constant remains: weed competition. The Zidua brand herbicide portfolio delivers consistent, long-lasting weed control with the adaptability you need to face uncertain conditions.

As you prepare for the season, make the lasting choice with Zidua brand herbicides.

Explore more about Zidua brand herbicides or talk to your local BASF representative to bring long-lasting residual control to your fields this season.
* Zidua PLUS is not registered and is not available for sale. Any sale of this product after registration is obtained shall be based solely on the EPA approved product label, and any claims regarding product safety and efficacy shall be addressed solely by the label.

Always read and follow label directions. Zidua and Liberty are registered trademarks of BASF. Sonic is a registered trademark of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Tendovo is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ©2026 BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC. All Rights Reserved. The <diamond> symbol is a registered trademark of Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

New 45Z Guidance: What Growers Should Know About Potential Biofuel Premiums

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:21:52 GMT

Corn, soybean and sorghum growers could be a step closer to premiums for biofuel crops grown with a reduced carbon intensity, thanks to recently announced guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. For farmers delivering their crop directly to ethanol plants, it signals that long-anticipated financial opportunities tied to the 45Z tax credit might soon become a reality.

“How that crop is grown will count for how the final carbon intensity of the ethanol is calculated,” explains Chad Asmus, Sustainability Market Development Manager for BASF, unpacking the Feb. 4 Treasury guidance. “That’s the clarity the industry needs.”

The Treasury’s proposed rulemaking doesn’t mean farmer premiums stemming from 45Z are a sure thing. An open comment period is underway, and May 2026 is being targeted for finalization of the rules.

“While we’re waiting for all the details to finalize, I’d go talk to my ag retailer about xarvio® BIOENERGY , which is a platform being provided by BASF to ag retail to simplify the process,” says Scott Kay, vice president of U.S. agricultural solutions, BASF. “I would want to have a plan to make sure I could take advantage of whatever those credits are.”

What 45Z is, and why the outlook just improved

The 45Z tax credit allows biofuel producers to earn incentives for lowering the carbon intensity of their fuel below a set baseline. For corn ethanol, that’s significant because nearly half of ethanol’s carbon intensity is the result of how corn is grown.

Until now, speculation had centered on whether conservation practices would be recognized. As of Feb. 4, the answer is yes. Treasury’s proposed rule also references U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) guidelines for calculating and verifying feedstock carbon intensity. That provides greater clarity on data and documentation needs, Asmus says.

Although corn represents the largest opportunity for recognizing farming practices under 45Z, the proposed Treasury guidance also applies to soybeans and sorghum.

Conservation practices and data capture for carbon intensity reduction

Under current USDA guidance, conservation practices for lowering carbon intensity are expected to include reduced tillage, no-tillage, cover crops and certain nitrogen management practices.

Cover crops are the biggest lever to reduce carbon intensity followed by no-till. Using nitrification inhibitors and specific nitrogen fertilizer application methods can also reduce carbon intensity.

“Roughly 70% of corn’s carbon intensity is related to nitrogen,” Asmus says.

Any future premiums will be determined by individual local ethanol plants and the growers who sell directly to them. They will be based on each ethanol plant’s carbon intensity and their ability to monetize the 45Z tax credit. Asmus expects farmer payouts will exceed those from earlier carbon programs.

Focus on gathering good farm data for this season, Asmus says, because carbon-intensity scoring must be verified by third parties. Incomplete records could result in delays and missed payments.

(BASF internal image)

How BASF’s xarvio® BIOENERGY ecosystem works

To help biofuel producers report and verify feedstock carbon intensity, BASF has developed xarvio® BIOENERGY. This digital ecosystem connects growers, retail agronomists, third-party verifiers and ethanol plants. Retailers use xarvio® FIELD MANAGER to help farmers collect the necessary data.

“All of that end-to-end connectivity is the most secure opportunity for a farmer,” Asmus says, “rather than scoring their own corn, seeking their own verification, and then trying to shop around for the best premium.”

Kay agrees that working with a trusted adviser is key. BASF research has found that while 18% of growers say they’d participate in such a program on their own, up to 80% would participate if their ag retailer helps.

Kay believes most growers who are near an ethanol plant will be able to qualify for potential future premiums, since many are already employing no-till practices, using a nitrogen stabilizer or planting cover crops.

Asmus encourages farmers to ask their agronomist how they’re participating in 45Z.

“I think in many instances, farmers and agronomists already have much of this information,” Asmus says. “The key is how they work together for a successful experience for everybody.”

Stay tuned for more updates on 45Z opportunities for growers, and learn more about BASF’s xarvio® Bioenergy . Reach out to your BASF preferred retailer or BASF representative for more information.

Are Plant Growth Regulators Worth the Investment?

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) have been getting more attention from the agricultural community in recent years, but you may be wondering if they live up to the hype. Placing a biological product in-furrow at planting has benefits, including healthy root growth, faster and more consistent emergence, and improved water and nutrient uptake.

When paired with a starter fertilizer, in-furrow biologicals have been shown to increase yields significantly. For example, up to 7.5 bushel-per-acre-yield advantage in corn¹when using Ascend²® PGR . If you haven’t added a PGR to your crop nutrition program, now may be the time to start.

What Do PGRs Do?

PGRs are hormones that regulate the growth and development of plants. Jon Zuk, crop protection product manager for WinField United explains, “There are five basic classes of plant growth regulators, each with a different effect on plants, ranging from stimulating plant growth to dictating seed germination. Plant responses may vary depending on PGR type, rate and application timing.”

Auxin: Key regulator of plant growth and development that causes biological responses, such as flower formation, fruit set and growth, and root and stem growth.
Gibberellins: Regulator of key processes in the plant to stimulate cell division and elongation, break dormancy and speed up seed germination.
Cytokinins: Plant hormones that stimulate cell division.
Ethylene: Plant hormone that induces ripening, causing leaves to droop and drop(often a result of stress).
Abscisic acid: Plant-growth inhibitor that induces dormancy, prevents seed germination and causes stomata to close.

Zuk notes, “The Ascend PGR lineup by WinField United includes products that can be applied as a seed treatment, in-furrow or a foliar application for season-long plant health benefits. Each Ascend PGR is formulated with an optimal blend of auxin, cytokinin and gibberellic acid to boost plant health and enhance stress tolerance.”

Ascend^2® PGR is an auxin-dominant formulation that promotes vigorous emergence and root development in corn. When combined with a starter fertilizer, Ascend² PGR offers a simple, convenient way to enhance early season crop growth and stress tolerance. Based on multiple years of WinField United Answer Plot^® trials, corn treated with Ascend² PGR in-furrow along with a starter fertilizer had a 7.5 bu/A yield advantage compared to crops that only received a starter fertilizer.¹

The plant hormones in Ascend2 PGR regulate plant growth and development, leading to significant benefits, including larger corn root masses with more root hairs. They can also help promote vigorous emergence, wider leaves and thicker stalks.

(Photo credit: WinField® United)

Packed with the same trio of powerful plant growth regulators, auxin, gibberellic acid and cytokinin, Ascend® ST3™ PGR is the latest innovation, crafted specifically as a seed treatment. For growers seeking an alternative application method without sacrificing performance, Ascend ST3 delivers all the proven benefits of Ascend in a convenient, seed-applied format.

When Should You Apply a PGR?

“PGRs can be applied throughout the growing season,” Zuk says. “To promote vigorous root growth and early emergence, PGRs may be utilized as a seed treatment or in-furrow at planting. The benefit of using a PGR before emergence is seeds get an extra boost and a strong start when soil and environmental conditions might not be favorable.”

“Applying a foliar PGR before corn tasseling can help stimulate plant growth and development to harness more energy for grain fill,” explains Zuk, “An application at V4 to V6 in corn makes sense because you’ll have a better idea of your crop’s yield potential and can focus PGRs where you’ll get the best potential return on investment.”

Aren’t All PGRs the Same?

Well, not quite. Zuk explains, “PGR is a broad term for any product that uses plant hormones to generate a plant response. PGRs can initiate many plant responses, from more vigorous root growth and stem elongation to plant senescence; therefore, not all products provide the same results. Before you invest in a PGR, be sure you know what the active ingredients are and what the expected plant response is.”

It is important to remember more active ingredient does not always mean a better plant response when applying PGRs. Always ask for firm data to back up any product claims. The Answer Plot research program has generated solid data supporting the benefits of applying PGRsas treated seed, in-furrow at planting or later in the season as a foliar application.

¹Based on more than 60 trials across Answer Plot locations in 15 states from 2017-2021.

New from WinField United: SuperLock™ Adjuvant Simplifies Herbicide Performance

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:36:39 GMT

Today’s agronomic landscape demands more from every application. Weed pressures are increasing, with more than 250 weed species now resistant to at least one herbicide mode or site of action. Tank mixes are becoming increasingly complex, and increased weather variability is creating greater difficulty in making optimal applications. Simply put, achieving the most from applications is becoming increasingly challenging, and reduced efficacy can impact a grower’s bottom line.

For major players like WinField United , tackling these challenges starts by equipping retailers and growers with products and technologies that can help maximize the potential of every acre. That commitment extends to a new member in the trusted “Lock” portfolio — SuperLock ™ adjuvant.

Data-Backed Performance

Successful products can take years to develop, test and introduce to the market. According to Dennis Christie, crop protection product manager at WinField United, SuperLock adjuvant was no exception. Christie says the team of researchers at the WinField United Innovation Center devoted more than 1,900 hours to product development, capturing 3,655 wind tunnel measurements, spraying more than 5,500 plants and conducting 57 trials on 2,280 plots.

The result is a novel, single formulation that combines a high surfactant crop oil concentrate with WinField United’s proprietary drift reduction technology (DRT). Christie notes while some products may reduce drift, they don’t all improve deposition. This combination can provide in-class drift and deposition properties. Because SuperLock adjuvant uses a crop oil concentrate rather than a methylated seed oil, Christie says they anticipate it may also reduce the crop response while maintaining or even improving weed control.

“SuperLock adjuvant helps ensure herbicides hit their intended targets and penetrate leaf surfaces, increasing yield and profitability potential through better weed control,” says Christie. “The performance we’ve seen so far has been excellent, and, in some cases, has exceeded our high expectations.”

SuperLock™ adjuvant enhanced weed control of smooth pigweed versus Incinerate™ herbicide alone.¹

(Photo Credit: WinField United)

There’s more testing currently underway and scheduled to be done through the fall. On top of that, Christie says the team won’t stop there.

“We will continue to run the full battery of tests as existing and new tank mixes, herbicides, traits and packages. The data we gather will help retailers advise growers on the best decisions for their acres,” he says.

Broad Flexibility

Across multiple crops, SuperLock adjuvant is suitable for tank-mix partners that permit the use of an oil-based product or recommend the use of an oil-based surfactant system.

It’s highly compatible with many commonly used herbicides, including glufosinate, 2,4-D, clethodim, glyphosate and others. It also has been approved as a required oil system for tank-mix applications of Enlist One^® and Liberty^® Ultra herbicides and pairs well with Class Act ^® NG^® adjuvant when water conditioning is needed in the tank.

Added Convenience

Christie believes all growers and applicators can benefit from a proven, easy-to-use combination adjuvant they can trust to enhance weed control and boost herbicide ROI potential. Plus, this one-jug solution simplifies warehouse management.

For those needing a drift mitigation option for herbicides affected by the Endangered Species Act, Christie says SuperLock adjuvant qualifies as a drift mitigation option within the Environmental Protection Agency Herbicide Strategy, under the Endangered Species Act.

“SuperLock adjuvant is a simple solution to help boost herbicide performance and solve problems in the field,” says Christie. “By enhancing deposition, improving weed control and saving valuable time, SuperLock adjuvant has earned a well-deserved place in today’s market.

”SuperLock adjuvant be available in fall of 2025 Supplies also will be available going into the winter, and it will be available for use in spring of 2026.

¹Based on Controlled Environment Trials at the WinField United Innovation Center in 2025.

Bred to Perform, Selected to Fit

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:38:00 GMT

“The more data that is available to make a purchase decision helps you make the right choice and limits negative experiences. Our customers put their trust in us when they purchase a bag of seed that it will be successful and make a profit on each acre,” says Monty Malone, soybean variety development lead for Xitavo^® soybean seed.

That trust is earned through regional breeding stations and rigorous testing protocols, ensuring Xitavo soybean seed provides the most value and yield potential.

Soybeans Tested to Thrive in Your Specific Region

A decade of extensive work across five regional seed breeding hubs preceded Xitavo soybean seed-exclusive varieties that hit the market in 2025.

Each breeding station manages an interrelated but unique germplasm profile by looking at adaptability within their specific environment, Malone explains. The five hubs have targeted testing footprints:

Memphis, Tennessee: mid-South and lower-Midwest
Champaign, Illinois: central and eastern Midwest
Nevada, Iowa: central Midwest
Lincoln, Nebraska: central and western Midwest
Sabin, Minnesota: upper Midwest and Northern Plains

Breeders at these stations manage a huge number of varieties, Malone explains. They start with a single cross, and in a succession of generations, these can balloon into as many as 50,000 different varieties before selections are made.

The breeders are encouraged to use the local selection pressures — diseases, pests and environmental stressors — to guide their variety selections. They apply performance pressure to whittle the large volume of varieties down to a small group called elites that stand out in native trait characteristics and yield performance within their specific environments.

Then Malone’s team, the soybean variety development team, tests the elites.

Checks and Balances Create the Best Yield Potential

While the breeding team wants the varieties to succeed, the soybean variety development team looks for ways to make them fail. It’s a solid system of checks and balances.

“The breeding team is trying to control a lot of variables. They’re ensuring the difference in performance and varieties is truly genetic — that it’s an apples-to-apples comparison. My team takes the varieties and we give them every chance to fail,” Malone explains.

Ensuring Trailblazing Genetic Progress

The industry average for developing a soybean variety for commercial sale is 6-8 years. The Xitavo soybean seed team is constantly trying to reduce that span.

“The average life cycle of a Xitavo soybean seed variety being sold commercially is 2-4 years. My team wants to be pushing varieties, because every year we introduce new genetics into the portfolio that are better,” he says.

Because farmers work from previous years’ benchmarks, they need local, relevant data.

Two years prior to launch, Malone’s team generates 70-90 data points for their Agronomic Market Placement (AMP), then advances the right products to incorporate into the portfolio, which generates 300-500 more data points with the agronomists one year before the launch.

Farming is already a tough job, which is why these regional teams work diligently to develop the most advanced soybean varieties supported by strong performance data.

“Our goal is to have a better, more adaptive variety that makes life a little easier and production a little more profitable for farmers at their local level,” says Malone. “Everything comes down to the people. From the breeding team to the development team to the agronomists, we’ve got the best, most focused soybean technical support in the industry.”

To learn more about Xitavo soybean seed and the new varieties for this upcoming season, visit www.xitavosoybeanseed.com .

Xitavo is a registered trademark of M.S. Technologies, L.L.C., West Point, IA. The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3^® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. Enlist E3 is a trademark of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. WinField and Answer Plots are registered trademarks of WinField Solutions, L.L.C. Liberty, Outlook and Zidua are registered trademarks of BASF.

Help Growers Look Beyond Yield Results to Navigate Challenging Markets

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:39:31 GMT

In today’s volatile agricultural market, success isn’t just about maximizing yields—it’s about making strategic decisions that drive profitability, resilience, and long-term sustainability. As growers look to improve their ability to navigate uncertainty and sustain their operations, retailers have the opportunity to provide them with the tools and resources to help them develop financially sound strategies.

With its intimate and expansive knowledge of ag retail, WinField United has been partnering with retailers to build financial offerings that enhance ag retailers’ business goals for more than a decade. Based on its proven track record of success in supporting ag retailers at the farmgate, the company has four tips for successfully managing today’s market conditions.

1. Bolster the Right Decisions with Strategic Financing

Agronomic investments should be driven by profitability, not just output. By offering solutions like SECURE financing from WinField United, retailers can help growers make smarter financial choices that align with their overall business goals. Through SECURE, retailers can help growers leverage financing to invest in high-value inputs that enhance efficiency and reduce risk.

SECURE provides access to competitive interest rates and flexible repayment options to ensure that growers are not forced into short-term decision-making based solely on cash flow constraints. Prolonged repayment options, for example, allow retailers to lock in purchases by aligning payment options with growers’ revenue cycles, making it easier to take advantage of early purchase discounts and seasonal pricing opportunities.

2. Become Financial and Agronomic Advisors

Retailers who integrate financial offerings with agronomic expertise position themselves as invaluable partners in a grower’s success. Offering financing solutions within the broader context of business planning reinforces a retailer’s role as a trusted advisor. Growers who feel supported in both agronomic and financial decision-making are more likely to remain loyal customers.

By providing competitive financial solutions tailored to farm seasonality, retailers can help growers access key early order program discounts. Because SECURE is based around the seasonality of agronomics, repayment is not due until after harvest is finished. This helps retailers seamlessly weave financial discussions into agronomic planning to ensure growers have the resources to enhance their profitability and long-term financial sustainability.

This unmatched flexibility, made around a grower’s unique business cycle, provides capital when they need it most. From a retailer standpoint, this provides increased opportunities to lock in sales, while enhancing the relationship with the grower, making it more challenging for competitors to enter the conversation.

3. Leverage Financial Tools to Navigate Market Challenges

Challenging markets require growers to be proactive rather than reactive. Offering SECURE financing empowers growers to seize opportunities when input prices are favorable, rather than making last-minute purchases under less favorable terms. By providing reliable access to capital, retailers can help growers avoid costly financing gaps and make strategic investment decisions that align with market conditions.

Incorporating financial tools into purchasing strategies also enables growers to invest in risk mitigation measures, such as diversified input portfolios, which can help stabilize profitability even in uncertain conditions.

4. Securing the Opportunity is Smart and Efficient

Ag retailers play a critical role in moving beyond a yield-first mindset to support their growers’ long-term profitability and market resilience. By integrating financial strategies with agronomic planning through an offer like SECURE, ag retailers can provide growers with the tools they need to navigate challenging markets successfully.

Getting set up with SECURE is quick and easy. Financing up to $750,000 can be approved quickly with a single-page of paperwork, and larger loans are available with a bit of extra documentation. SECURE is unique in that growers can use it across multiple seed and crop protection brands offered by the local retailers, in addition to financing critical expenditures like fertilizer and custom application from the retailer.

A proven track record of making business easier and more profitable

For more than a decade, retailers have relied on SECURE for grower financing. Being rooted in ag retail, WinField United built a program that is designed for the way farming works. Meaning, SECURE delivers a flexible, reliable and competitive financing solution that can be adaptable to market variability and in-season challenges and opportunities.

From back-office support to the farmgate, WinField United provides unmatched support that makes SECURE a turnkey solution. This help retailers focus on providing the right tools, data and expertise to help growers stay informed and make data-driven decisions to be successful and grow their business.

To learn more about SECURE talk to a local WinField United sales representative or visit winfieldunited.com/secure .

Phosphate Prices Aren’t Dropping, But You Can Help Growers Maximize Per-Acre Savings

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT

As an ag retailer, there’s plenty you can’t control within the industry: input prices, supply chain snags, and tariffs.

Margins are slimmer than ever. And you can’t change the macro-level factors that hurt your customers’ bottom lines.

But for the ROI-savvy retailers, there are ways to help growers get more for less. It just requires a small mindset switch, a little math, and some proven soil science.

Think in acres, not tons

For decades, the status quo of ag retail has been to move as many tons of product as possible. Farmers come in with a clear idea of how much they need for their operation; retailers fill the order. Simple and to the point.

But growers are more mindful of ROI than ever, especially in an era where input prices have skyrocketed and the global economy remains turbulent.

To meet the moment, retailers need to think outside the “sell more tons” box. Instead, how could they promote better ROI on their customers’ acres? Even if it means selling fewer tons of certain products, that efficiency could bring longer-term benefits to the farmer.

Phospholutions, a sustainable fertilizer technology company, engineered Rhizosorb as a product to help boost acre-by-acre ROI.

Rhizosorb, which is integrated directly into the phosphate granule at processing facilities, helps growers reduce their phosphorus applications by up to 50 percent.

Upfront, per ton, Rhizosorb is more expensive, but since growers can use less and still achieve higher yields, it’s cheaper per acre.

“Growers understand that phosphate is very inefficient,” said Craig Dick, Phospholutions VP of Sales and Marketing. “With the elevated costs of the last few years, growers are looking for relief and are trying to find alternatives. When they hear there’s a more efficient product, they instantly get it. If something works better and they can apply a little less, they’re pretty motivated to make that switch.”

Here’s an example: Compared to 100 pounds of MAP 11-52-0 applied (at $40/acre), the average RhizoSorb grower only applied 66 pounds. That broke down to a $36/acre cost, thanks to less product volume.

Those savings of $4/acre can then be applied to other input purchases or crop protection methods. And shrewd retailers can help their growers strategize how to maximize those cost savings.

Build more value for growers

Most growers will budget a specific amount per season to spend on phosphorus. But with a product like RhizoSorb, they can reduce their phosphorus applications by up to 50 percent, saving them money.

Because of those reductions, they have budgeted money left over to spend. Instead of just funneling all of that money to extra, unnecessary phosphorus, retailers can help growers build a more comprehensive fertility plan.

“Are you in the business of providing the cheapest inputs or providing value to growers?” Dick said. “At the end of the day, are you a low-cost inventory provider, or are you trying to support that grower in driving more efficiency and value on each acre?”

Just because growers might use less phosphorus doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of ideas for how to spend their input budget.

With $4/acre in savings, growers can invest in a new biostimulant or another fertility product. At the end of the day, this leads to healthier crops, better yields, and more ROI at the farmgate. And for retailers, this means happier, more profitable customers — which, downstream, means more sales.

Efficiency that lasts

ROI-driven growers instinctively understand the value of acre-by-acre savings — even if the per-ton math initially looks higher on the invoice.

When a farmer can cut out unnecessary fertilizer applications, optimize their input purchases, and still maintain (or even exceed) historical yields, that’s a huge win. And it’s a win that can set their operation up for even more long-term success.

“Growers are running a business, and they need to be profitable,” Dick said. “The economics drive their decisions, and the agronomics support it. When those two are in alignment, then they get excited about sustainability.”

To learn more about how you can leverage Rhizosorb to offer more value to your customers,
reach out to a Phospholutions representative . We can also take you through our retailer economic model to better understand the potential ROI on the table.

Winning the Loyalty Battle in Ag Retail Starts with Listening

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 20:09:35 GMT

In agriculture retail, customer loyalty isn’t just important — it’s existential. The number of farmers in the U.S. is shrinking every year, which means ag retailers can’t rely on expansion to drive growth. You grow by holding on to what you have, gaining more insight as you strengthen every customer relationship.

At GROWERS, we don’t build technology in a vacuum. That’s why we host the GROWERS Strategic Advisory Group—a gathering of top ag retail executives from across the country who share a common goal: serving their customers better and staying ahead of what’s next.

We don’t run this as a product showcase. This is a working session. It’s where we pressure-test our strategy, take feedback, and get challenged — hard — on our assumptions, our model, and our execution. It’s also where we take time to focus on the big trends shaping the industry, and how to turn them into practical advantages for our retail partners.

What makes these meetings different is the level of candor and collaboration. Retailers aren’t holding back. They ask tough questions. They push us to explain the “why” behind our decisions and challenge us to deliver tools that actually move the needle — not just check a box. Some of our biggest product breakthroughs have come directly from feedback in these rooms.

This year, one theme stood out above the rest: customer churn.

The retailers in the room know the math. On average, retailers lose 7.2% of their revenue and 11% of their customer base each year. That’s not just a missed opportunity — it’s a leak in the bucket. And in a world with fewer farmers, that kind of leakage gets harder and more expensive to fix with every passing season.

Losing a farmer in this market is not like losing a line item on a spreadsheet. It often means losing years of trust, product knowledge, and relationship equity — all of which are nearly impossible to rebuild once gone. In many cases, the farmer doesn’t just stop buying one product; they move their entire business to another retailer.

We’ve analyzed millions of farmer transactions and buying behaviors across segments, products, and geographies. What we found was both troubling and hopeful. Farmers give off signals as they begin to leave. There are patterns. Behavior changes. Subtle shifts that, if noticed early, can be addressed.

Executives from ag retail businesses that have built loyalty programs with GROWERS talk about the data analysis process that GROWERS performs to define the structure, tiers, and incentives based on customer purchasing behaviors.

And here’s the most critical stat we uncovered: 72% of farmers who churn from a product, service, or a retailer never come back.

That’s why we’ve doubled down on solving churn — not with theory, but with data and action.

At GROWERS, we’ve built the most advanced churn prediction model in ag retail. Our AI model can now forecast customer churn 90 days before it happens, with 88% accuracy. We’ve identified 38 behavioral signals that farmers exhibit before they leave — and more importantly, we’ve turned those insights into specific, retailer-branded loyalty strategies to stop churn before it starts.

But prediction alone isn’t enough — it has to lead to action. That’s why we don’t just tell retailers which customers are likely to churn. We tell them why. We show which products, services, or segments are falling off. We give them ready-to-use strategies that can be deployed by their sales teams immediately — whether it’s targeted offers, proactive outreach, or segment-specific rewards that re-engage the customer. It’s insight tied directly to execution.

Here’s the big takeaway we shared during this year’s session: churn is predictable, which means it’s preventable.

And if it’s preventable, it’s manageable.

We’re now equipping retailers with the insights and tools to stop revenue loss before it happens — helping them turn loyalty programs into retention engines that protect their business, improve margins, and deepen their customer relationships.

The Strategic Advisory Group isn’t just a once-a-year touchpoint. It’s part of our process. A core principle of how we operate: we listen to our customers, we build with them, and we never lose sight of what matters most — helping retailers grow their business by keeping the farmers they’ve earned and giving them more reasons to stay.

As loyalty becomes a key growth lever in ag retail, we’re not just reacting to the trend — we’re helping shape it. One retailer at a time, one decision at a time, we’re proving that smarter loyalty isn’t just possible — it’s essential.

Ready to dig into your data and build a loyalty program that predicts and prevents customer churn in your ag retail business? Get in contact – www.growers.ag/prevent-churn

GROWERS Strategic Advisory Group (GSAG) was created to leverage ag retail leader’s deep industry expertise to navigate the unique challenges of the agriculture sector. Their insights are invaluable in guiding GROWERS’ strategic business objectives and ensuring we stay laser-focused on solving the most critical and pressing issues in agriculture.

Controlling Weeds Amid Rising Resistance

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 16:58:27 GMT

Once heralded as a revolutionary solution for weed control, the industry is confronting an increasing challenge when it comes to HPPD-inhibiting herbicides: the rise of resistant weeds and dwindling efficacy.

Novel Chemistry for a New Foundation

Introducing Surtain™ herbicide, the latest non-HPPD-inhibitor from BASF. Bringing powerful PPO residual chemistry into a pre- through early post-application, Surtain herbicide offers significant flexibility with a wide application window and up to eight weeks of broad-spectrum control.

With a first-of-its-kind premix with solid encapsulation technology, the active ingredient is suspended in a solution and a solid coating forms on the surface. After applied in the field, the encapsulation begins to dry, forming cracks in the coating. This allows the saflufenacil (Group 14) active ingredient to be activated by rain or irrigation water along with the proxasulfone (Group 15). This novel technology allows full availability of the active ingredients, unlike traditional encapsulation. Surtain herbicide controls or suppresses 79 broadleaf and grassy weed species, including waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. And because it is not activated until it makes contact with water, it provides excellent crop safety.

“It’s important to start clean and stay clean. That’s why Surtain herbicide is an important foundational residual for farmers,” said Josh Putman, BASF Technical Marketing Manager.

Solution to HPPD Resistance

Unfortunately, the overuse of HPPD-inhibiting herbicides has led to the advancement of herbicide resistance and the potential loss of HPPD efficacy, if not managed. To preserve current HPPD products, farmers need to think differently and change their early control programs.

“When BASF created Surtain herbicide, we focused on making sure that we were adding another tool to that toolbox to try to preserve existing HPPD products and not rely on them repeatedly, which is what led to resistance in the first place,” said Putman.

Surtain herbicide is backed by six years of trials and more than 160 trials in the Midwest to give growers an effective tool against resistant weeds.

“HPPD-resistant products are still widely used throughout much of the Corn Belt,” said Putman. “Post applications are becoming less effective on waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. That is leading to increases in the weed seed bank.”

(Photo source: BASF)

Weeds to Watch

While weed species may differ based on region, waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, kochia and giant ragweed are the most resistant in the Midwest. These invasive weeds not only compete for vital resources on early-season corn stands but can also significantly reduce yield potential.

“Waterhemp alone can reduce corn yields by up to 74% if uncontrolled,” said Putman.

Early control is key to giving corn a strong start. Even small weeds can have a significant impact on corn production.

“A six-inch weed left uncontrolled can cause up to 7% yield loss with corn production,”¹ said Putman. “By using a planned, pre-emergent herbicide application, you can eliminate the weed competition and give your corn a chance to establish a healthy stand.”

Early Season Weed Control Strategies

Farmers are looking for solutions and turning to their local retailers to find them.

“We need to keep educating farmers about the importance of early-season weed control. That preventative action is key,” said Putman. “They trust that we can provide solutions and help them shift their focus to early control, giving them a chance for a better yield potential.”

Staying clean into canopy by using a pre-emergent herbicide, like Surtain herbicide, and layering residuals, like Zidua^® SC herbicide, in post applications can give corn a chance to establish that healthy stand without fighting with weeds for nutrients in the soil, water and sunlight.

For More Information

To learn more about how you can diversify your weed control program and prevent resistance, talk with your local BASF technical representatives or visit Surtain-Herbicide.com.

¹Knezevic, S. (2015) The critical period of weed control in corn. Cropwatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/critical-period-weed-control-corn

Always read and follow label directions. Surtain is a trademark of BASF. Zidua is a registered trademark of BASF. ©2025 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

Industry Spotlight on Mercer Landmark - Driving Loyalty with Data and Innovation

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 18:08:38 GMT

In the competitive landscape of agriculture retail, Mercer Landmark is setting a new standard by fully digitizing its loyalty program, Landmark Maxx. Having had a loyalty program as a part of their customer experience for some time, a partnership with GROWERS took Landmark Maxx to unrealized levels.

Today, Mercer Landmark is able to use technology and robust analytics to align their loyalty program with the strategic goals of the organization and bring added benefits to their farmer customers.

Neal Horrom, COO of Mercer Landmark, shared his excitement about the transformation: “By digitizing Landmark Maxx, our customers now have full visibility into their rewards. They can see how their purchases across all our business segments—agronomy, grain, and energy—are also giving them real value through rewards they can use exclusively at Mercer Landmark.”

Previously, Landmark Maxx was reliant on manual tracking for rewards, incentives or discounts, limiting its potential to deliver maximum benefit to customers and the business alike. While this is common across the agriculture retail sector, the management at Mercer Landmark recognized that digital rewards programs worked in other consumer industries. They asked the question- how can we create a branded loyalty program that seamlessly integrates with our technology systems and allows us to interface with our customers?

After connecting with GROWERS and learning their platform brought that opportunity to creatively steer purchasing behavior and digitize a loyalty program for agriculture retailers, Mercer Landmark was able to create a data-driven system that goes beyond basic discounts. Their re-envisioned program uses dynamic tiers, hurdles, and purchasing segments to incentivize cross-segment spending, encouraging customers to consolidate their purchases at Mercer Landmark and receive more benefits from doing so.

For example, grain-only customers, who historically might not have considered making agronomy purchases from Mercer Landmark, are now given a compelling reason to diversify their buying patterns.

“This program has allowed us to strategically incentivize customers across multiple segments, which helps us drive sales in areas they may not have traditionally engaged with,” Horrom explained. “It’s a win for both the customer and Mercer Landmark.”

The structure of their program is simple, yet effective: every point earned is worth $1, and points can only be redeemed through Mercer Landmark. This guarantee of loyalty creates a natural lock-in effect. Customers are motivated to continue their business with Mercer because they know their rewards will lead to future savings.

Tracking, allocation and redemption of points are seamlessly managed for the retailer and the customer by GROWERS, but fully branded as Landmark Maxx. The ease for customers and increased touch-point opportunities for the retailer to drive engagement makes it a natural fit for agriculture retail.

Taking its loyalty program one step further through capabilities developed by the GROWERS platform, Landmark Maxx also integrated manufacturer participation. Manufacturers can fund incentives for their product sales, which are then allocated into a dedicated rewards wallet. These points can only be redeemed for the manufacturer’s products, exclusively at Mercer Landmark.

This comprehensive loyalty program model benefits everyone involved: farmers save on their input costs, manufacturers boost product sales, and Mercer Landmark strengthens customer loyalty without sacrificing critical margins.

Horrom also emphasized the mutual impact of this program integration: “The shift from traditional discount-based incentives to a loyalty-driven system benefits not only us and the manufacturers we partner with but also our farmers. It helps us protect margins while lowering a farmer’s cost per acre—something that’s vital in today’s market.”

Mercer Landmark’s Landmark Maxx program is now more than just a rewards program—it’s a strategic tool for future growth. By giving customers reasons to consolidate their purchases and rewarding them for loyalty, Mercer Landmark is positioning itself to thrive in a rapidly competitive and evolving market.

As Horrom noted, “Our investment in this digital transformation is allowing us to build deeper relationships with our customers while staying ahead of the curve in agriculture retail.”

To learn more about Mercer Landmark’s loyalty program, Landmark Maxx, visit https://mercerlandmark.com/landmark-maxx/

Harnessing the power of biostimulants: A key to climate-smart agriculture

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:42:07 GMT

The farming landscape constantly evolves, presenting new challenges each year. Weather has a major impact on farming practices, particularly erratic weather conditions and the resulting crop stress. In response, growers continually explore effective crop management methods to weatherproof crops, enhance production, and meet market demands.

One solution gaining traction is climate-proofing the farm with biostimulant products. The concept of climate-smart agriculture provides innovative strategies to boost productivity while tackling crop stress and other challenges associated with shifting climate patterns. Climate-smart agriculture focuses on three key pillars—increasing productivity, enhancing resilience to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This comprehensive approach aims to create a sustainable and efficient agricultural system that can adapt to the challenges posed by a warming planet and shifting weather patterns.

Biostimulants from Acadian Plant Health™ (APH) play a vital role in this strategy to enhance plant health by stimulating plant growth, improving nutrient uptake, and boosting soil health.

Pursuing climate-smart agriculture.

When applied to plants or soil, APH’s Ascophyllum nodosum technology stimulates natural processes, improving nutrient efficiency, stress tolerance, and overall performance.

Acadian Plant Health’s biostimulant research reveals positive effects on plants’ nutrient use and efficiency. The results showed enhanced root growth and absorptive function, leading to increased uptake of dissolved macro and micro-nutrients.

Our studies have shown that applications of our Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulants lead to enhanced root development, increased root mass, and a stronger root system. Additionally, we’ve seen changes in gene expression that affect nutrient uptake and movement within the plant, so plants grow better and are more productive under limited nutrition. When treated with Acadian’s Ascophyllum nodosum extract, plants exhibit increased nitrogen absorption, resulting in enhanced growth and productivity even with reduced fertilizer application.

Dr. Holly Little, Director of Research and Development with Acadian Plant Health

Trials on corn showed increased yield under standard and reduced nitrogen conditions when combined with Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extracts.

(CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)

Wheat trials conducted at the APH Craigie Research Centre showed root dry weight increased 17% 20 days post-treatment of Acadian Plant Health Ascophyllum nodosum extracts and UAN, compared to plants treated with UAN alone.

(CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)

Improving plant growth and stress tolerance.

Environmental stress impacts crop growth and yields 7-10 times more than diseases and pests. As crops confront various abiotic stresses, including cold, excessive water, heat waves, and drought, there is a growing implementation of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed-based biostimulants in crop management practices.

With our unique extraction process, we are able to liberate numerous bioactive compounds such as mannitol, polysaccharides, and betaines. These compounds have been shown to improve plant tolerance to stressful growing conditions, including, but not limited to, heat stress and drought.

Dr. Holly Little

Increasingly unfavorable weather conditions have contributed to farmers losing 30-70% of their yield^[1] with an estimated contribution of only 10% from biotic stress.

(CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)

Studies show APH biostimulants work with plants’ internal systems to help improve productivity and growth through stress. Biostimulants can…

Reduce plant cell damage
Increase tolerance to abiotic stress
Increase antioxidant production
Promote root growth and branching
Support water retention through heat, drought, or salinity

Supporting healthy and carbon-rich soils.

An increasingly important approach to climate-proofing farms is regenerative agriculture, which focuses on improving soil health. Ascophyllum nodosum-based biostimulants support the microbiome, soil structure, and overall contributions to soil organic carbon. Due to their proximity to plant roots, soil microbes aid in nutrient uptake while stimulating plant growth through root system development.

Acadian Plant Health’s extensive research has proved many ways seaweed extracts contribute to soil:

Increasing growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
Strengthening plant-microbe relationships
Optimizing nutrient availability
Increasing nodulation on the roots
Increasing soil aggregation and improving soil structure
Improving C02 absorption
Increasing root biomass and promoting soil carbon content

APH’s seaweed extracts improve microbial abundance and growth through multiple mechanisms. Soil respiration is linked to soil’s ability to cycle carbon and nutrients. Increased plate counts indicate APH products support greater microbial abundance, and increased ATP indicates a rise in living microbes.

(CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)

Sustainability and better crop productivity.

Adaptability is crucial for farmers facing unpredictable weather patterns. Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulants are a valuable tool to allow growers to maintain consistent yields despite environmental challenges.

Dr. Holly Little

The more weather and climate patterns shift, the more essential it becomes to implement new technology in farming practices. Harnessing the power of Acadian Plant Health Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulants is key for building a climate-smart strategy and enhancing crop performance.

Find out how at https://acadianplanthealth-na.com/

SPONSORED

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

Consult regional monitoring and alert tools

Talk through evaluation timing, efficacy and modes of action

Explain the growth stage cutoff for fungicide efficacy

Help growers fight southern corn rust damage throughout the season

________________________________________________

Endnotes

Simplify Nitrogen Management and Protect Precious Fertilizer Investments

Can Adjuvants Boost the Bottom Line?

1Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology, 2022. https://cpda.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CPDA-Adjuvant-Cert-Program-Flyer-2022.pdf.

Soybean Fungicide Timing: Application Guidance and Benefits

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

Physiological benefits of foliar fungicide for soybeans

How fungicide for soybean plants can help canopy and seeds

Managing crop resistance to fungicide for soybeans and product selection

________________________________________________

Endnotes

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

Manage expectations for limited seed-treatment efficacy window

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

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

________________________________________________

Endnotes

Corn Insecticides: Combatting Resistance with Multiple Modes of Action

Putting corn rootworm damage in perspective

Why an integrated management approach works best

Grower options for corn rootworm insecticides

________________________________________________

Endnotes

Conservation and Market Opportunity: Connecting For On-Farm Success

How Planning Ahead Can Help Protect Your Customer's Yield Potential

Optimize Cotton Yield Per Acre with Proper Cotton Herbicide Timing

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

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

Tip #3: Layer cotton herbicide residuals

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

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

________________________________________________

Endnotes

Evaluating the ROI of Applying Corn Fungicides During V Stages

Hybrid selection and disease risk

Scouting and environmental signals

Growth stage timing for corn fungicides

Matching product strategy to corn fungicide timing decisions

________________________________________________

Endnotes

Helping Soybean Farmers Win Against Southern Disease Pressure

Zidua® Brand Herbicides: Long-Lasting Performance for Your Soybeans

New 45Z Guidance: What Growers Should Know About Potential Biofuel Premiums

What 45Z is, and why the outlook just improved

Conservation practices and data capture for carbon intensity reduction

How BASF’s xarvio® BIOENERGY ecosystem works

Are Plant Growth Regulators Worth the Investment?

New from WinField United: SuperLock™ Adjuvant Simplifies Herbicide Performance

Bred to Perform, Selected to Fit

Help Growers Look Beyond Yield Results to Navigate Challenging Markets

Phosphate Prices Aren’t Dropping, But You Can Help Growers Maximize Per-Acre Savings

Winning the Loyalty Battle in Ag Retail Starts with Listening

Controlling Weeds Amid Rising Resistance

Industry Spotlight on Mercer Landmark - Driving Loyalty with Data and Innovation

Harnessing the power of biostimulants: A key to climate-smart agriculture

¹Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology, 2022. https://cpda.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CPDA-Adjuvant-Cert-Program-Flyer-2022.pdf.