December 18, 2006

BASF's Status corn herbicide registered

Corn growers across the US will now have a new broad-spectrum herbicide to combat yield-robbing weeds in their corn acres with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registering Status herbicide from BASF.

Status was based on three key components: active ingredients dicamba and diflufenzopyr, as well as a patented safener- isoxadifen. When combined, these ingredients enhance control of all major broadleaf weeds in corn with a high degree of crop safety, said BASF researchers.

An addition of the safener isoxadifen reduced the risk of crop phytotoxicity considerably, and therefore, proved useful from the grower perspective, said Mike Owen, Extension weed specialist at Iowa State University.

A tank-mix partner with glyphosate, Status could be used in both Roundup Ready acres and as a stand alone for broadleaf weed control on conventional corn acres.

Status is also expected to control the spread of glyphosate resistance.