Many growers experience infections caused by the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea during the late winter and throughout the spring months.

Agronomist Rob Khouppel works on a range of crops on more than 20,000 acres. With a variety of crops grown, including corn, beans and wheat, Khouppel has his work cut out for him when advising growers about herbicides and fungicides.

Disease control and Plant Health are critical to helping a crop reach its full potential of high yields and high quality. There is now a distinctive choice for farmers to use to cultivate strong, plentiful crops. Xemium^® fungicide, one of the latest active ingredients from BASF, helps power Priaxor™ fungicide and Merivon^® fungicide, two unique Plant Health fungicides that take crop protection to a whole new level.

Thirty years of experience in agribusiness gives a pest control advisor a strong sense of what makes a good herbicide. Longtime PCA Mike Pettigrew advises vineyard and orchard owners in California how to best protect their crops, and he sees BASF products as the best defense.

As the next generation of tough broadleaf weeds and grasses continues to challenge growers everywhere, it’s clear that glyphosate alone is not enough.

Feeding the world’s growing population while protecting the land is a topic that’s never far from a farmer’s mind. Some farmers, such as Eric Scheuer, incorporate tilling practices and herbicides that minimally disturb the soil.

In more places than ever, and across a larger number of common species, weeds resistant to glyphosate are an ever-increasing problem, monopolizing the time and effort of more and more growers each year.

Before growers plant this fall, crop experts are encouraging them to evaluate their risk for possible herbicide carryover. The drought conditions for the 2012 growing season resulted in less herbicide degradation in soil, particularly with several different herbicide chemistries offered by multiple manufacturers.

Timing is of great importance in a farmer’s life, and planting crops within the proper time frame has an impact on success and yield. For fifth-generation farmer David Mohler, his family has invested a lot of time in their 2,600 acre corn and soybean farm in Frankfurt, Indiana.

With a unique vantage into what growers want and need, chemical sales managers know the tricks of the agriculture trade. Growers look to sales managers like Brandon Grubbs, from B&D Chemicals of Central Illinois, for advice on how to kill weeds, fight disease and support Plant Health.

For the Wharam family, life in North Dakota is rooted in agriculture. From the family’s aerial application business to son Chris’ role with BASF, family life and agriculture have always gone hand-in-hand.

Multi-year research trials in corn and soybeans have shown that a comprehensive pest-management program utilizing a combination of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides provides effective weed, disease and insect control to help maximize yields and profit.

Priaxor™ fungicide, BASF’s latest innovation in disease protection, is a combination of the same active ingredient in Headline^® fungicide and a new active ingredient: Xemium^® fungicide. Xemium is continuously distributed throughout the leaf to help deliver the ultimate in disease protection. Priaxor gives soybean growers superior disease control, Plant Health benefits and more consistent yield increases.

Jack Holifield grows corn, cotton and soybeans on a 3,500-acre farm in Kennett, Mo. Most of the farm is minimum- or no-till, and he irrigates about 90 percent of the land. A few years ago, Holifield started using Headline^® fungicide on his corn and soybeans for increased disease control and Plant Health benefits.

Louisiana rice growers who have discovered resistant sheath blight in their production fields have been granted emergency access to Sercadis™ fungicide to fight this burgeoning threat to yield and crop quality.

Farming economically is top priority for most growers. With that goal in mind, BASF creates products that aid growers in their quest to use their land and other resources as efficiently as possible. Steve and Donna Roth grow irrigated corn; a number of dry, edible beans and spring wheat on their 4,000 acre farm in Wadena, Minn. Farming in Central Minnesota leaves the Roths facing short days and short seasons, so they look for products that work in a timely manner.

Xemium^® fungicide, an advanced active ingredient that will power several new solutions, has received EPA registration.

Xemium forms rainfast depots on leaf surfaces that enable it to continuously distribute its unique chemistry throughout the leaf over time. Its high degree of mobility delivers the ultimate in continuous protection and more consistent performance.

Working on the front lines of Ag Service gives agronomists a leading edge on understanding trends in weed-resistance management, disease control and Plant Health. Dean Schafer, an agronomist with Chebanse Ag Service in Chebanse, Illinois, has analyzed trends in his region and seen growers repeatedly turn to BASF for the products they need.

BASF has spent the past two years partnering with university agronomists to put its innovative, high-yielding products to the test. These research trials in corn and soybeans have shown that a comprehensive pest-management program utilizing a combination of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides provides effective weed, disease and insect control, while maximizing Plant Health for potentially higher yields and profit.

BASF recently participated in RFD-TV “Live” to discuss how growers can manage risk, increase efficiency and maximize yields in the 2012 growing season. Click http://bit.ly/BASFonRFD-TV to watch footage of the show now on the BASF YouTube Channel.

Volatile weather patterns make growers feel as if they are living between extremes. When a wet spring delayed planting, then a dry growing season stressed his plants, Brandon Sancken lessened the impact of those conditions with help from BASF.

Time is running out to save money and help minimize risk with the Advantage offers from BASF. Learn more about these unique offers and BASF products before the March 15, 2012, deadline!

Growers look to Headline Advantage for the preseason preparation, disease control and financial benefits they desire. By taking part in Headline Advantage, growers continue to have the best in disease control and Plant Health benefits at an even greater value.

For a busy grower, the daily challenges of running an operation are more difficult to manage without good herbicide support. Indiana grower David Duttlinger looks to BASF for the backup he needs to face daily complications and weather-related obstacles.

The Northern Plains Cooperative covers the Dakotas from Dupree, S.D., to Ashley, N.D., and many areas in between. Doug Whittmeier is an agronomist with the cooperative, and he’s seen the benefits that BASF products can have.

“Sustainability — it’s leaving the land better than we found it, which benefits not only our farm here, but the community in general,” said Bob Allen, a grower from Russellville, Ky., featured in the video.

The American Soybean Association (ASA) has announced the three regional winners of the 2012 Conservation Legacy Awards, co-sponsored by BASF.

Growers have a new resource to help get the most out of every acre this season with the launch of Plant Health Central from BASF.

BASF recently participated in RFD-TV “Live” to discuss how growers are utilizing BASF products to approach weed and disease control for optimal Plant Health benefits and maximum yield. Click here to watch footage of the show now on the BASF YouTube Channel.

A recent BASF study* further strengthens Headline AMP™ fungicide’s position as the premiere corn fungicide on the market.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. –Continuing its support of sustainable practices, BASF is co-sponsoring the American Soybean Association (ASA) 2012 Conservation Legacy Awards. For more than a decade, the program has honored U.S. growers with the most environmentally friendly and profitable farm management practices.

A comprehensive 2010 crop protection study showed 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 total post treatment of glyphosate.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., January 10, 2011 – BASF Crop Protection will launch its 10th installment in the 2010 Top Plots series, revisiting high-yield grower David Hartz of Cavalier, N.D.

BASF grower teams placed first in all four 2010 Yield Challenge districts they competed in during this year’s Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Yield Challenge, utilizing a combination of tools from the BASF Crop Protection portfolio, such as Kixor^® herbicide technology, Headline^® fungicide and Respect^® insecticide to achieve superior yields.

BASF Crop Protection launched its ninth installment in the 2010 Top Plots series, featuring high-yield and award-winning grower David Roehm from Leesburg, Ohio.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (DATE) – BASF Crop Protection will launch its sixth installment in the 2010 Top Plots series, revisiting award-winning corn and soybean grower Gary Porter of Mercer, Missouri.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC (October 12, 2010) — BASF Crop Protection launches episodes six and seven in the 2010 Top Plots series today, featuring Kip Cullers from Purdy, Missouri, and the new world record for soybean yield he produced in 2010.

BASF Crop Protection will launch its fifth installment in the 2010 Top Plots series, revisiting high-yield grower David Hartz of Cavalier, North Dakota.

BASF Crop Protection will launch its fourth installment in the 2010 Top Plots series, featuring high-yield and award winning grower David Roehm from Leesburg, Ohio.

Sharpen Herbicide was designed to provide fast, flexible burndown of broadleaf weeds in a wide range of crops. Research has shown that Sharpen provides excellent burndown control when applied in either preplant or preemergence treatments, sunflower (harvest aid/desiccant) or for, fallow and postharvest treatments.

BASF Crop Protection launched its third installment in the 2010 Top Plots series, featuring 10-time national corn-growing champion Kip Cullers from Purdy, Mo.

Last month, BASF stepped into the world of social media with the launch of the vlog (video blog) “Top Plots” on YouTube. Throughout the year, Top Plots will feature four top growers: David Hartz of Cavalier, N.D.; Gary Porter of Mercer, Mo.; Kip Cullers of Springfield, Mo.; and David Roehm of Leesburg, Ohio.

Now is the perfect time to tank mix Status® herbicide with your application of glyphosate to control the toughest, glyphosate-resistant broadleaf weeds. The rapid knockdown and residual control makes it a highly effective tool in a weed resistance management program.

Maximize your cereal crop yields this year with a proactive application of TwinLine™ fungicide. TwinLine provides wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale crops with superior disease control and Plant Health benefits such as stronger stands, drought tolerance, optimum yield and a more efficient harvest, when applied during the flag leaf stage of growth.

The 2010 Successful Farming® Weed, Disease and Bug Reference Guide is now available at www.weedsdiseasesbugs.com. BASF is proud to sponsor this easy-to-read reference guide to support your crop success.