BASF recommends flag leaf as optimal spray timing for cereal leaf diseases

The wet spring conditions experienced in parts of the Prairies can increase the risk of crop disease, particularly leaf diseases such as septoria leaf spot and tan spot.

BASF Canada Inc. advises growers to manage the risk with a preventative application of TWINLINE™ fungicide — particularly when timed at the flag leaf stage.

 “If you planted into wet soil this spring, you should safeguard your cereal investment with a preventative fungicide application at flag leaf,” said Kristina Polziehn, Technical Development Specialist with BASF Canada. “Because up to 65 per cent of the total yield of the crop is established from the flag leaf, flag leaf timing is the best time to spray to maximize yield and protect your investment from leaf diseases.”

When sprayed at flag leaf timing, TWINLINE has been shown to have an average yield increase of over five bushels per acre over an untreated check. The added AgCelence™ benefits in the pyraclostrobin active ingredient enhances crop quality which improves efficiency and stress tolerance of your crop to help ensure it reaches its maximum yield potential — even in stressful conditions.

To manage both leaf diseases and Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), BASF advises growers to utilize separate fungicide applications, one at flag leaf timing and one at FHB timing.  Each fungicide has a particular timing designed to protect the crop from specific diseases. TWINLINE sprayed at flag leaf provides the highest level of foliar disease control and yield increases. CARAMBA® sprayed at FHB timing controls both late season leaf disease and improves quality and yield by suppressing FHB.

“These are two different fungicide timings. One is focused on foliar leaf disease control and the second on suppressing FHB and controlling late leaf disease infections,” said Polziehn. “Using fungicides in both spray windows will increase the effectiveness of the products and maximize your disease management strategy.”

Growers are encouraged to follow label directions to ensure cereal diseases are sprayed at the optimal time. For more information about optimal fungicide application timing, visit www.AgSolutions.ca .  

Always read and follow label directions.

TWINLINE is a registered trademark of BASF Corporation, used with permission by BASF Canada Inc.

© 2014 BASF Canada Inc.

BASF - The Chemical Company

BASF Canada, located in Mississauga, Ontario is a subsidiary of BASF SE, and an affiliate of BASF Corporation. BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $19.3 billion in 2013. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us . To find out more about BASF’s activities in Canada visit www.basf.ca or follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/basfcanada .

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com .