BASF and Monsanto to develop dicamba-based technologies

BASF and Monsanto Company have announced a new joint-licensing agreement to accelerate the development of the next-generation of dicamba-based weed control chemistry products.

Both parties will participate in the development of innovative formulations of dicamba for use with herbicide-resistant cropping systems.

Researchers are able to make herbicide-resistant crops using plant biotechnology and advanced plant breeding to enable farmers to control weeds more efficiently and save time, money and fuel. Crops that are resistant to both Roundup agricultural herbicides and dicamba would represent the next generation of herbicide-resistant crops to deliver significant on-farm benefits to growers.

Improved formulations of dicamba are being developed to complement this new combination of herbicide-resistant crops.

“We are very excited to actively participate in developing innovative solutions for this next-generation cropping system for growers,” said Emmanuel Butstraen, group vice-president, Global Strategic Marketing, Herbicides, for BASF’s Crop Protection division.

BASF is currently the largest provider of dicamba and dicamba-based solutions.

“Effective weed control is critical for increasing crop yields to meet the growing global demand for food, feed and fuel,” said Sean Gardner, Monsanto’s Global Chemistry lead.

“Combining a second type of herbicide resistance with Roundup Ready technology would offer growers multiple tools for weed control though the use of Roundup, dicamba, or combinations of both herbicides.”

Monsanto is working to develop dicamba-resistant soybean and cotton products to combine with its current Roundup Ready products. Both products would provide a new, unique way to control broadleaf weeds, designed to provide growers with an effective and high-yielding weed management system.