USA - BASF reveals new innovations at InVigor showcase plot tour

By Ryan Crossingham

BASF held their North Dakota InVigor showcase plot tour on Tuesday, July 25, in Rugby, N.D., where growers were able to gather information on InVigor canola hybrids, soybean varieties, and BASF crop protection products for 2024.

″We had six different stops within our showcase,″ said Bob Bohl, BASF agronomic solutions advisor. ″We showcased our InVigor hybrids – what’s new, what’s coming to the marketplace, and what we’re doing with experimentals. We also went through some seed treatment options within our InVigor platform and discussed our InVigor agronomy in detail – seeding rate, seeding depth, row depth – and how those affect things like standability. That was the main draw or focus from the showcase.″

InVigor canola

For BASF’s InVigor hybrids, their motto is ″canola without compromise,″ referring to how the hybrid lineup doesn’t comprise when it comes to potential performance in the field. Every hybrid in the lineup contains patented pod shatter reduction technology, as well as clubroot-resistant genetics, so farmers can rely on protection and flexibility in every field.

″As we look at our InVigor market and what makes those varieties stand out against competitors, first off, it’s our innovation within InVigor and BASF, that’s a big one,″ Bohl said. ″Between our pod shatter reduction technology and our consistent yield performance, I believe we have the best performance hybrids in the marketplace. We continue to reinvest in the research and development of traits, and we continue to look for the next best innovation to bring forward.″

For 27 years, InVigor canola hybrids have outperformed in large plot replicated system trials conducted by farmers and through demonstration strip trials across canola growing regions. The hybrids offer a wide range of maturity options, disease protection packages, and other traits to improve harvest flexibility and address other serious cropping concerns.

The top benefits of InVigor canola hybrids include:

• Top-yielding canola, even in adverse growing conditions.
  

• Pod shatter reduction technology to protect yield potential and deliver added flexibility at harvest.
  

• Liberty herbicide use on InVigor canola hybrids with the LibertyLink trait provides an excellent means for growers to rotate non-selective herbicide systems to effectively manage weed resistance.
  

• With InVigor canola, farmers across the northern tier of the United States have more options to overcome growing and harvesting challenges, fight disease pressure, and improve profitability.
  

InVigor’s pod shatter reduction technology provides growers with the option to straight cut or delay swath their canola without sacrificing yield potential.

Xitavo soybeans

In mid-July, BASF announced 11 new Xitavo soybean varieties for the 2024 season. With these additions, the Xitavo seed portfolio now includes a total of 44 varieties covering relative maturities 0.0 to 4.8.

″We’re also working on some new traits, as well, but those aren’t release yet,″ Bohl said. ″Some of those revolve around sudden death syndrome and some other trait platforms that are exclusive to BASF.″

BASF hopes the new varieties will provide growers with a strong foundation for their soybean acres, giving them complete confidence in their weed control programs. All the new varieties support versatility and include the Enlist E3 triple-stack herbicide-tolerant trait.

″We are working toward exclusivity in the marketplace for soybeans,″ Bohl said. ″Between innovation and reinvestment in research and development, in addition to our partnership with MS Technologies, we can separate ourselves. We have good-performing varieties right now through the partnership, which are running with our beating what’s in the marketplace. We’ll continue to move forward.″

Liberty ULTRA

Another of BASF’s new innovations discussed during the showcase was the release of a new product called Liberty ULTRA, which will replace BASF’s Liberty herbicide in the very near future.

″It’s a new, updated formulation of Liberty. It has a lower use rate compared to what we use today,″ Bohl said. ″We demonstrated it at our plot where we intentionally had some massive weeds out there – I’m talking 2-3 foot broadleaf weeds and grasses – and we demonstrated the herbicide.″

Upon registration, Liberty ULTRA herbicide will be the next generation of glufosinate herbicide technology from BASF. The herbicide concentrates the active ingredient for a 25 percent reduction in use rate, and it will be available for use on glufosinate-enabled soybeans, cotton, corn and canola acres.