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BASF addresses dicamba concerns

Officials with BASF are actively investigating alleged off-target movement of dicamba and say they are concerned some users of its Engenia herbicide have not adequately followed the label.

Reports of drift damage to crops–especially soybeans that aren’t tolerant to dicamba–have swelled since early June, leading several states to impose stricter rules for applications.

BASF technical service manager Gary Schmitz says there could be multiple reasons plants are being injured.

“In some areas it was clear that not all the labels had been followed, including not using the right nozzles, incorrect boom height, spraying during high winds (and) blowing towards sensitive crops, or even during temperature inversions.”

Dr. Dan Westburg covers the southeastern United States for BASF and spent more than a month in Arkansas and Tennessee earlier this season.

He says while drift issues are getting headlines, a large number of growers are having tremendous success with dicamba herbicides like Engenia.

“In managing an on-target application, and also in getting just really, really excellent control of palmer amaranth, which is the core target for us in that geography.  Many of the growers we talked to say they’ve gotten the best control of palmer amaranth in this area than we’ve gotten in the last ten years or more.”

Westburg says BASF’s Engenia herbicide combines a new salt with dicamba to create a molecule for use in dicamba-tolerant crops that successfully mitigates volatility.