Giving every seed the power to do more with Seed Treatment by BASF

Growers worldwide are facing one of the most demanding times in agriculture. The responsibility to feed the world in the face of increasing environmental and societal challenges makes farming the biggest job on Earth, and success depends on having agricultural products that are continually evolving to meet the demands of today while also preparing for tomorrow.

That’s why Seed Treatment by BASF has worked to cultivate a global team of experts with decades of experience and expertise to develop seed treatment solutions tailored to combat threats across a variety of growing regions. Stephanie Jensen, Vice President of Global Strategic Marketing Insecticides and Seed Treatment at BASF, understands the balance it takes to do just that: ″Seed treatment is an art and science, where science is in the individual components, but the art is in how they all are brought together onto the seed,″ she says. It is her belief that by empowering diverse teams and managing the complexities that exist in seed treatment, ″you can deliver something truly unique to add significant value to the market.″

From developing high-performing, innovative seed treatments to offering real-time product support and promoting sustainable agricultural practices, BASF solutions help growers protect their seed investments, giving every seed the power to do more through improved protection and increased yield potential.

Innovating to Solve Growers’ Toughest Challenges

BASF believes that innovation is key to finding the right balance for success — for growers, for agriculture and for future generations. In 2022, BASF increased investment in research and development to €944 million, up €40 million from the previous year, within the Agricultural Solutions segment to bring growers products that meet the market’s needs and adhere to regulatory guidelines.

Jonatas Alves, Global Senior Manager of Strategic Marketing of Seed Treatment by BASF, has spent the last twenty years in the seed treatment segment and understands just how pivotal the right seed treatment solutions are for growers. ″As our agricultural food system undergoes an accelerated transformation, we are proud to offer seed treatment products scientifically formulated to improve the protection, yield, quality and health of crops. For BASF, farming is more than a business—it’s personal. We know growers depend on us as a steadfast partner to help them feed a growing global population and that providing them with needed seed treatment products makes all the difference to their crop’s success.″

″Using a global network of research and development teams and production sites across six continents, we are always collaborating and sharing knowledge to meet the changing needs of growers,″ says Alves. ″Because we develop solutions for all main seed treatment segments in house, we are in the unique position to consistently deliver innovation and competitive products to our customers.″

This level of integration and collaboration across functions has enabled Seed Treatment by BASF to create innovative products that address growers’ challenges head on.

Martin Horrocks, Director of Seed Treatment North America, has spent more than a decade at BASF where he has played a key role in leading the North American seed treatment team to develop technologies and application methods that help growers achieve optimal results. Horrocks explained that the ongoing evolution of pests and their growing resistance to management tools, along with changing regulations and consumer reactions to products, makes it more important than ever to stay focused on advancing the science behind seed treatment products. ″Two significant challenges for soybean growers in North America are soybean cyst nematode (SCN) damage, which increases in hot, dry conditions, and sudden death syndrome (SDS) which thrives in cool, wet conditions. ILEVO^® seed treatment is the first seed-applied product to bring both fungicidal and nematocidal activity together in one effective active ingredient, proven to protect against both SDS and SCN, as well as other nematodes.″

Products like Teraxxa^® and Teraxxa^® F4 consistently outperform neonicotinoid insecticides in eliminating wireworms and safeguarding cereal crop yields. Their innovative active ingredient, Broflanilide, provides superior efficacy and durability. In fact, one Idaho grower shared that he experienced significant crop loss due to wireworm damage, resulting in a staggering $300,000 loss. Then he turned to Teraxxa, where the performance exceeded expectations, leading the grower to claim he’d never experienced a product that lived up to its claims, until Teraxxa.

Florent Mazuir, Head of Seed Treatment for Europe, Africa and the Middle East at BASF, has been in the seed treatment segment for over a decade and is optimistic about the momentum Seed Treatment by BASF is creating for the future in his region. Mazuir says, ″What we are doing in Europe is extending our product footprint in different markets. We have a very broad portfolio to support customers for the many needs they have regarding crops or segments.″ This is proof of a commitment to invest in the needs of growers across a variety of important crops.

″With our continuous investments in innovation and our regional R&D focus, we are poised to bring even more novel and tailored solutions to the market, expanding our portfolio to meet grower needs today and well into the future,″ says Alves.

Performance Growers Can Count On

The BASF portfolio stands out in the market, offering an unparalleled range of high-performing insecticides, fungicides, nematicides, biologicals, inoculants and seed coatings. Seed Treatment by BASF can provide this robust offering thanks to its focus on specialization.

″As the only company in the market with a broad portfolio of seed treatment solutions, and in-house coatings and formulations teams, our expertise is unmatched. Our dedicated teams employ rigorous testing and cross-regional performance analysis to help ensure that each product provides growers with the utmost protection to protect their crop investment,″ says Alves.

BASF is a top regional choice among growers, with over 35 million acres of corn being treated in the United States alone. Through the Poncho^® Votivo^® and Vault^® product lines, BASF is widely recognized as a leader in insecticide and biological seed treatments in North America. Standak^® Top is another popular brand for its insecticide component and ready-to-use availability for growers, making it Brazil’s #1 seed treatment product for soybeans.

Nelson Wei, Product Development Manager for Seed Treatment by BASF in Asia, has seen one product in particular gain remarkable traction in India for its dependable performance. ″Acronis^® Green is the leading choice in India for soybean seed treatment, with 30 percent market share. Growers know that by using this advanced BASF product, they can increase the vitality and robustness of their harvests, which in turn increases efficiency in crop production to help gain higher quality and yield potential,″ says Wei.

There is Power in Superior Customer Support

BASF uses Technology Centers and Global Innovation Centers to showcase its expert research and development teams. These experts have spent years immersed in the agriculture industry. From regulatory and environmental changes to developing scientific breakthroughs, they constantly work to uncover the best solutions for growers.

Flavia Souza, Seed Treatment Strategic Marketing Manager of Agriculture Solutions in Latin America, explains how BASF Technology Centers provide specialized support and services to customers and growers worldwide: ″At our seed treatment technology center in Brazil, we make significant investments in hands-on training and real-time support to ensure the success of our customers and growers,″ explains Souza. Worldwide, the centers serve as hubs for innovation, product and service development, and enhanced training for our salesforce through workshops and field days. ″We also provide specialized product application training to key stakeholders and communicate stewardship messages during the high season. We grant customers who receive training from us the ‘Seed Solutions’ seal, further fostering strong customer relationships,″ says Souza.

Research and development experts are also accessible to growers worldwide at BASF Global Innovation Centers. These centers allow experts to share their knowledge and cross functional expertise as they work alongside growers, providing technical support and educating them on application processes to help them achieve the highest yields.

BASF Global Innovation Centers also play an essential role in developing environmentally friendly practices among growers. With the proper support, solutions and science backing them, BASF helps growers better understand the nuances of their region and how they can establish their role as stewards of their land. In turn, adopting these practices helps growers become more competitive as they work to maintain the quality of their soil and crops each year.

Innovating For a More Sustainable Future

Seed Treatment by BASF drives sustainable innovation, helping growers feed an ever growing world by finding new and dynamic ways to increase crop yields amidst a changing regulatory landscape and shifting societal demands.

Yvonne Weimer, a member of Global Strategic Marketing at Seed Treatment by BASF for more than seven years, has seen first-hand how staying ahead of regulatory changes has spurred groundbreaking innovations in seed treatment. ″Sustainability is at the core of every innovation decision that we make. We offer sustainable, microplastic-free seed coatings through our Sepiret^® portfolio, which is known for its technical performance, reliable supply and strong customer focus. Our newest innovation, Sepiret Red 01, is entirely microplastic-free while delivering on the legacy of performance and trust that growers count on from BASF.″ says Weimer.

The introduction of Sepiret Red 01 is one of the many ways BASF will help growers stay ahead of a shifting landscape, including anticipated legislation first expected in the European Union surrounding microplastic-free seed treatments. Moving forward, the Sepiret portfolio will be transitioning to exclusively offer a new generation of entirely microplastic-free seed coatings, giving seed companies and industrial seed processors the flexibility to deploy its trusted, reliable and industry-leading sustainable performance wherever microplastic free solutions are required.

BASF sees every sustainability challenge as an opportunity for innovation. With more biological seed treatments on the market than anyone else in the industry, BASF offers a powerful lineup of sustainable products that gives plants beneficial tools for an optimal growing environment and protects young crops from some of the most damaging pests during their critical early development. BASF is also making measurable progress in soil health with products designed to reduce the application of nitrogen fertilizers and decrease CO₂ emissions released into the atmosphere by placing them back into the soil.

With BASF, The Future of Seed Treatment is Bright

BASF is committed to seed treatment for the long term, which is why they continue to maximize their innovation efforts to help growers succeed. Through experienced leadership, the industry’s leading seed treatment specialists and decades of pioneering research, BASF connects innovative thinking and practical action to bring truly novel solutions to the market that solve for grower needs they know today, and those that will come tomorrow.

Farmers have the biggest job on Earth and BASF is committed to helping them find the right balance for success. With BASF, the future of seed treatment is bright because to them, it’s not just another thing - it’s everything.

* According to the United Nations Population Division

** According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

This article was initially published in AgroPages' '2023 Seed Treatment Special' magazine.

If you would like to share your company's story. Please contact Christina Xie at christina@agropages.com

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