Engenia herbicide in soybean field trials

More than 300 soybean field trials conducted in 2011 and 2012 show soybean growers there’s hope for control of weeds resistant to one or more herbicides by using Engenia, a yet to be commercialized new herbicide.

Engenia herbicide is a technologically advanced dicamba formulation, explained BASF. The field trials have demonstrated effective control of key broadleaf weeds including glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, marestail, and common and giant ragweed.

BASF anticipates the commercial launch of Engenia herbicide in the U.S. in 2014, in a complimentary time frame with the commercialization of dicamba-tolerant soybeans. BASF expects Engenia herbicide use on cotton in 2015 following the commercialization of dicamba-tolerant cotton.

Once registered, growers will be able to use Engenia herbicide as part of the dicamba-tolerant cropping system, currently in development, to protect yield potential and manage increasingly complex weed challenges.

Engenia herbicide has excellent activity when applied to emerged broadleaf weeds and provides incremental soil residual activity to control weeds before they emerge. In fact, Engenia herbicide is more effective than 2, 4-D on problem weeds such as waterhemp. As part of an advanced weed control program including many of BASF’s residual herbicides, growers can achieve greater than 95 percent control of both grasses and problematic broadleaf weeds, the company contends.

Herbicide-resistant weeds are an increasing concern for growers. Weed scientist Larry Steckel, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, estimates that resistant Palmer amaranth alone could cost Tennessee soybean growers close to $200 million in increased herbicide cost, application cost and yield loss due to weed competition this year.

"The use of herbicides with different or multiple sites of action, along with other agronomic practices, is an important strategy in weed resistance management and long-term product sustainability,” said Luke Bozeman, technical market manager, BASF. “Engenia herbicide is anticipated to be labeled to be used alone, sequentially or tank mixed with other herbicides to effectively control weeds resistant to glyphosate, triazine, PPO and ALS herbicides.”