BASF and Monsanto are teaming up for fungicide seed treatments for cotton and soybeans in North America.

Monsanto’s next generation Acceleron® Seed Treatment Products for soybeans and cotton will contain F500®—the same active ingredient found in Headline® fungicide—and the innovation Xemium® fungicide, which is expected to be registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2012.

According to BASF North America Market Manager for Seed Solutions Bob Yaklich, Xemium’s new generation of the carboxamide class of chemistry provides significant control of key soybean and cotton diseases. “The combination of BASF fungicides, Xemium and F500, provides a new level of disease control, as well as healthier plants and improved crop quality, which can improve yield potential,” said Yaklich. “This new agreement with Monsanto will give growers the opportunity to give seedlings a stronger start and their growing seasons a stronger finish.”

Under the agreement, Monsanto will have exclusive rights to commercialize the new seed treatments. Monsanto’s global seed treatment platform complements the company’s seed and trait strategy, as well as its investments in breeding and biotechnology.

“Farmers choose Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans and Deltapine® brand cottonseed for their proven yield advantages” said Tom Schaefer, Monsanto’s Marketing Manager for Acceleron® Seed Treatment Products. “These additions to the Acceleron Seed Treatment Products line can help those seeds emerge strong and yield strong.”

Details on how strong stand establishment and early plant health can reflect higher yields at harvest are available at www.AcceleronSTS.com.