BASF/Monsanto Agree On Seed Treatment Deal

Posted by Matt Hopkins|25 September 2009

German chemical giant BASF and St. Louis, Missouri, US-based Monsanto Co. announced a new fungicide seed treatment for cotton, reports Mid-South Farmer. Monsanto’s Acceleron Seed Treatment will contain F500, the same active ingredient found in Headline fungicide. Additional details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Monsanto says the agreement is one more step in the company’s announced goal of doubling US yields in several crops by 2030. “Farmers are pushing for increased on-farm profit potential while looking for ways to increase productivity. We have a target of helping US corn, soybean and cotton farmers double yields by 2030,” Acceleron marketing manager Tom Schaeffer says. “One component is delivering the best seed treatment system along with industry leading genetics and traits. Acceleron is our platform to provide seed treatment innovations that influence higher yield.”

BASF says the focus of the new seed treatment is to give seedlings a stronger start and a higher yield potential by controlling diseases, such as those caused by Rhizoctonia solani. “BASF scientists are focused on bringing new active ingredients with proven disease control and other early-growth benefits to seed partners and ultimately to the grower,” says BASF’s Nevin McDougall, Group Vice President, North America Crop Protection division. “We know that early season crop development is a major factor to yield success.”