new BASF research found Integrated management program helps increase corn and soybean yields

Date:02-10-2011

 BASF today announced that a comprehensive 2010 crop protection study revealed that using a portfolio of BASF products can lead to an average 9.1 bu/A increase in soybeans and 33.3 bu/A increase in corn when compared to a low-input glyphosate program.

Small-scale replicated field studies in soybeans and corn were conducted at university and BASF research sites throughout the Midwest. The objective of the research was to evaluate yield responses to BASF crop protection inputs – including Headline® fungicide, Headline AMP™ fungicide, Kixor® herbicide technology and Respect® insecticide.

“So many factors affect yield potential, from weeds and diseases to insect pests. It’s critically important that growers plan inputs to mitigate risk such as these and maximize yield potential,” said Dan Westberg, Ph.D., BASF Technical Market Manager. “The BASF crop protection portfolio provides growers with the tools they need to get the most out of every acre.”

Soybean field results

According to the 2010 study, a combination of glyphosate and Kixor(OpTill™ herbicide or Sharpen™ herbicide plus Prowl® H20 herbicide) preplant, followed by glyphosate post, followed by Headline fungicide and Respect insecticide at R3provided an average yield of 57.9 bu/A, an increase of 9.1 bu/A when compared to only using a combination of glyphosate and 2,4-D ester preplant followed by glyphosate post.1 Set against today’s average soybean prices, this yield increase

gives growers an additional estimated revenue of $104.20 per acre.3 This yield increase potential translates to an estimated return on investment (ROI) of $3.47 for each additional dollar invested in the BASF program.4

“The BASF product portfolio provides growers with maximum protection on multiple fronts,” Westberg said. “This study’s results provide a roadmap for growers to meet their full soybean yield potential.”

The BASF soybean product portfolio helps increase yields through effective, reliable control of tough broadleaf weeds, diseases and insect pests.

Applying Kixor preplant to preemergence combats hard-to-control broadleaf weeds and protects soybean yield potential. Kixor is an effective weed resistance management tool, and gives growers a burndown and residual herbicide in one product. In addition, the residual control provided by Kixor eliminates early season weed competition, which prevents the loss of moisture and/or valuable nutrients and provides greater timing flexibility for postemergence applications. These factors lead to a better return on investment and optimal yield potential.

The BASF soybean product portfolio also helps growers control the diseases that threaten yields while providing important Plant Health benefits.

“We get all kinds of diseases here, because it is so hot and humid,” said soybean yield world-record-setting grower Kip Cullers, of Purdy, Missouri. “Headline keeps the plant happy and healthy. One of the main reasons I always use Headline is that BASF has done more research and on-farm trials than any other company.”

In more than 3,000 on-farm trials in the past six years, Headline has been proven to increase yields 4-8 bu/A compared to untreated soybean acres. Headline not only protects plants from yield-robbing foliar disease, it also provides Plant Health benefits – such as seed quality and stress protection – that help increase yield potential and ROI. 

Respectinsecticide can be easily applied to knock out insect pests quickly, as it tank-mixes well with a wide array of products, including Headline.

Corn field results

Corn results showed a 184.9 bu/A average (a yield increase of 33.3 bu/A) by using a combination of Kixor herbicide technology preemergence, followed by glyphosate post, followed by Headline AMP fungicide at VT, compared to only using glyphosate post.2 When taking today’s average corn prices per acre into account, that bump in bushels can bring growers an extra $173.16 per acre.5 This potential yield increase represents an estimated ROI of $3.60 for each additional dollar invested in the BASF program.6

North Dakota grower David Hartz has enjoyed the benefits of BASF’s innovations. “Kixor protected our corn crop from getting overrun by weeds and actually we had some acres that never did get sprayed with a postemerge herbicide and they were pretty clean fields,” Hartz said.

HeadlineAMP was developed for corn growers who demand the best in disease protection. By combining the active ingredient in Headline with a unique, best-in-class triazole, Headline AMP delivers superior disease control and more corn per acre than any other fungicide on the market.

“The combined products in Headline AMP are going to give us better control of diseases out there,” said Dan Eyer, an Anchor, Illinois corn grower. “We think the two modes, the strobilurin and the triazole chemistries, give us a broader spectrum of control.”