Growers rate new BASF herbicide performance

by | Nov 17, 2017 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Soybean and cotton growers across the Midwest who used a new BASF technology gave a good review.

In a recent survey, BASF asked 400 soybean and cotton growers across the United States to rate it?s Engenia herbicide. The herbicide was designed to battle tough weeds for dicamba tolerant (DT) crops. Growers gave Engenia an 8.6 out of 10, indicating the product provided them with cleaner fields in the 2017 growing season.

Eighty-five percent of growers said they planned to use Engenia in 2018 and eighty-three percent said they planned on recommending the product.

BASF Vice President for U.S. Crop Protection Scott Kay interviewed growers in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. Growers said the key to their success included:

  • Understanding what crops were in nearby fields
  • Talking to their BASF representative
  • Adhering to the application checklist
  • Using approved nozzles

BASF Technical Market Manager Chad Asmus reaffirms most growers achieved great results stewarding dicamba tolerant crops this season. However, Asmus notes some non-dicamba tolerant farms experienced symptomatology, possibly stemming from improper use of the Engenia herbicide.

While BASF found most fields experienced no impact on yield, a few isolated cases showed signs of terminal growth being inhibited.

In hopes of preventing future issues, BASF has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop an updated Engenia label for the 2018 growing season. The new label adds requirements for spray application training, record keeping, wind speed limitations and application timing restrictions. BASF also plans to work closely with growers.

?BASF plans to expand the Engenia On Target Application Academy, our application training program, to make it easier to get information about how to properly apply crop protections products and best use practices,? Asmus said.