Participants in the 2018 Commodity Classic in Anaheim heard results of extensive trials done last year on Bayer’s Delaro fungicide. The company tested the product in more than 500 grower trials across 20 Midwestern states in 2017.

“What was actually really interesting about 2017 is that it was very, very wet in some parts of the country, particularly the Eastern Corn Belt, and it was very dry in the Western Corn Belt,” said Thorsten Schwindt with Bayer. “I think that was somewhat of actually an advantage for a demo year because it gave us a good feeling about how Delaro would perform in different seasons, like a very wet season like we had in Ohio and Indiana, or very dry like we’ve seen in Iowa or Nebraska.”

Schwindt said they saw consistency across all geographies, with a 90 percent win rate in both corn and soybeans. Yield results were also higher than growers had seen with previously used or competing products. Corn yields averaged a 12-18 bushel lift and soybeans averaged a 4-5 bushel increase.

Minnesota farmer Todd Golly trialed Delaro last year on his corn and soybean farm.

“We used aerial image to monitor it during the season and the plant’s reaction to the product. We were very excited to see that the Delaro was absorbed into the plant within 16 hours of application so it was very quickly absorbed. And then we monitored it every week through the season, and it lasted for 60 days until harvest. As a farmer, that’s kind of a dream product. It acts quickly and lasts the full season,” said Golly, who farms in the southern part of the state.

He saw a 46 bushel benefit under almost perfect growing conditions with almost no disease present. Golly plans to use Delaro again in 2018 for soybeans and for the first time on 100 percent of his corn crop.

Listen to Jamie’s interview here: Interview with Thorsten Schwindt, Bayer & Todd Golly, Minn. Grower

2018 Bayer AgVocacy Forum & Commodity Classic Photo Album