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BASF offers drought stress management recommendations at 2023 plot showcase

Managing drought stress is a hot topic at BASF’s Showcase Plot Tour at their Midwest Research Farm in Seymour, Illinois today.

The latest US Drought Monitor shows more than 92% of the Midwest is abnormally dry with at least 75% of that area in moderate to extreme drought. The level of drought intensifies further west into Nebraska and Kansas.

BASF Marketing Director for US Ag Solutions Brady Spangenberg tells Brownfield the key to crop health during dry conditions is minimizing stress on the plant and one of the best ways to do that is with fungicides.

“Fungicides are a proven way to increase the stress tolerance of your plants, reduce the amount of respiration under hot dry conditions and really give your plant the best chance to grow when the fields do catch those rains.”

He says weeds can still flourish in a dry environment, so it is important to eliminate those to prevent plants from competing for water and nutrients.  

“Scout your fields, check for those final post applications to get your crop to canopy, and make sure that you’re also limiting the weed seed production so you start out next year with a lower seed bank.”

The plot tour also focused on new seed traits, new herbicide launches, plant health, tar spot and seed treatments.