A joint agreement that will greatly expand the availability of the Clearfield Production System herbicide-tolerance trait has been announced by BASF and Dow AgroSciences.

Under the grant, Dow AgroSciences obtains the rights to market and sub-license the trait in corn to other seed companies. The pact will combine BASF’s expertise in herbicide-tolerant crops with Dow AgroScience’s insect-protection traits and skills in developing high-yielding hybrids through their Mycogen Seeds subsidiary.

“This is a significant step in our plan to provide a broad array of new and exciting products to the global corn industry,” says Doug Vawter, general manager of Advanced AgriTraits LLC, a crop genetics marketing subsidiary of Dow AgroSciences. “Licensing and marketing herbicide-tolerant traits for some of the world’s best herbicides will complement our advanced profile of insect protection traits, corn hybrid technology and value-added traits.

Scott Gaddis, BASF global director, says the agreement will expand the availability of Clearfield technology in corn inbreds to seed company partners. The result will let growers access advanced hybrids along with the broad-spectrum, season-long weed control of Clearfield herbicides.

Herbicides such as Lightning that were developed by American Cyanamid are part of the Clearfield Production System. These herbicides act on an enzyme that is present in plants but not in mammals, birds, fish or insects. Combined with low use rates, this selectivity makes the herbicides environmentally compatible while providing outstanding weed control.

Clearfield herbicides control broadleaf weeds on contact and continue to control weeds throughout the growing season.

“Farmers will benefit from a…