BASF and FMC Corporation announced an agreement that brings novel in-furrow crop protection products to the U.S. corn market. The companies will integrate their market-leading insect and disease protection technologies into new products formulated with the convenient LFR® patented technology from FMC.

BASF and FMC will deliver unprecedented in-furrow insect and disease protection. These new products include market-leading active ingredients, the same technology found in Headline® fungicide and in FMC proprietary LFR formulations in Capture® LFR® Insecticide. The unique LFR technology is unmatched in its ability to mix readily with liquid fertilizers, provide consistent active ingredient distribution, and stay in suspension for uniform application from the first acre to the last.

“The LFR technology brings greater convenience, simplicity and dependability to our customers,” said Scott Stout, Corn Fungicide Products Manager, BASF. “FMC is a recognized liquid in-furrow leader, and our customers will benefit from our leading disease control and plant health fungicide with the best below-ground insect control and in-furrow insecticide formulation technology available.”

“The collaboration combines the core competencies of two market leaders. FMC is an in-furrow formulations technology leader and BASF is a fungicide active ingredient leader,” said Rick Ekins, fungicide and insecticide portfolio manager for FMC. “This alliance allows both companies to help our customers take yields and profits to the next level. In-furrow protection has never been so convenient or powerful.”

Each company will offer new products as a result of the agreement. For 2017, BASF will launch Manticor™ LFR® In-Furrow Fungicide/Insecticide. FMC will launch Temitry™ LFR® Insecticide/Fungicide. EPA registration has been granted for both products.

According to Stout and Ekins, BASF and FMC are developing new solutions that will sustainably feed a growing world population.

“As an industry, we need new tools to push yield potential higher without using more of our natural resources,” said Stout. “These kinds of collaborations help us reach that goal.”