Integrating solutions to accelerate agriculture’s transformation

A new L-glufosinate ammonium (L-GA) Active herbicide formulation will significantly reduce the amount of active ingredient required, saving operating costs as well as contributing to more sustainable distribution and application than today’s solutions. Farmers can expect this new L-GA formulation from mid-decade and onwards, starting in the United States. 

Tirexor^® Active is a new PPO inhibiting herbicide (protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase), controlling weeds currently resistant to other PPO inhibitors. The fast-acting herbicide with low use-rates received strong customer adoption after its approval in Australia in 2020 and in Canada in 2022. Expected market introduction for soybean farmers in Argentina is 2024 and in the United States is 2025. Introduction in other Latin America countries and Asia Pacific will follow with expansion into different crops.

A significant step forward in weed management was introduced to wheat farmers in Great Britain in 2022 with the approval of Luximo^® Active. With its novel mode of action, Luximo is a vital tool for controlling blackgrass and Italian ryegrass, some of the most challenging and yield-robbing weeds. Further Luximo registrations are expected mid-decade in Europe. Luximo provides farmers in the region with a new tool for resistant weeds, which is crucial to efficient use of crop protection products on farmland.

BASF is bringing a much-needed solution for over-the-top control of weeds in soybean, developing an additional PPO herbicide with a corresponding herbicide tolerance gene. That gene will be incorporated into a new herbicide tolerance trait developed by Corteva. It is a key element of a multi-generational soybean trait pipeline collaboration that is expected to be available in seed varieties in the early 2030s. Farmers will benefit from more flexibility to use PPO herbicides beyond pre-emergence to control weeds with over-the-top application. 

To further support resistance management, an entirely new herbicide mode of action is currently in the late research phase at BASF. The corresponding herbicide tolerance trait for soybean is being developed by BASF as part of the collaboration with Corteva. Farmers will have the option to access this innovative trait technology through leading soybean seeds from BASF and Corteva. This longer-term approach from both companies will provide competitive alternatives for soybean farmers well into the 2040s. 

The SMART SPRAYING SOLUTION by Bosch BASF Smart Farming is commercially available in Europe for corn, sunflower, sugar beet, and soybean. The technology, which supports a more efficient use of herbicides, is accessible to farmers through a partnership with German-based agricultural machinery manufacturer Dammann initially in Germany and Hungary. Bosch BASF Smart Farming is advancing additional partnerships and field trials in the Americas and Europe, with the aim of continued commercial launches within the 2023/24 season.

Axalion^® Active Insecticide

BASF is set to launch its latest insecticide active ingredient Axalion^® Active. It is a new class of chemistry with a new mode of action, designed to safeguard harvest from a broad spectrum of damaging piercing and sucking pests. While working harmoniously with beneficials and pollinators, Axalion controls pests that have developed resistance to existing chemistries. Launches will start in 2023 in Asia Pacific, with additional registrations following in Europe and Latin America.

Revyona^® Fungicide

After showing market-leading control of diseases in cereal, soybean and corn, BASF expects to launch Revysol^® Active in fruits and vegetables as well as rice starting in 2023. The Revyona^® formulation maintains the outstanding performance and favorable regulatory profile of Revysol, ensuring reliable yield and quality. The formulation provides a high level of control of powdery mildew, scab, and many other diseases in tree fruits, grapes, and potatoes.

Sunions^®

Through excellence in breeding, BASF’s vegetable seeds business developed Sunions^®, the first tearless onion variety available in supermarkets. Since 2022, it is also available throughout France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
 

Disease resistant tomato varieties

Farmers in multiple European countries now have access to BASF’s vegetable seeds varieties with resistance to aggressive and difficult to control viruses. These include Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) whose infections lead to food loss and waste caused by crop loss and quality impacts.

• Different novel resistances to ToBRFV are available in commercial varieties at large scale in Spain, the Netherlands as well as in Turkey, Morocco, Canada and Mexico besides various other countries.
• Launched in Europe throughout 2021 and 2022, the Tayson variety of processing tomato has dual resistance against TSWV, which complements the variety’s already most complete trait package on the market. 

In 2022, BASF’s offer of digital agronomic advice for fruits and vegetables was improved with the integration of the decision support systems from the acquisition of Horta, an Italian digital farming company. A new offer is the Agrigenius Vite application, which enables wine growers to make smarter decisions about fungicide applications, maximizing yield and quality while reducing the environmental impact.