BASF launches Axant Flex technology as first quadruple stack herbicide resistant trait package for cotton growers

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, December 15, 2021 — Today, BASF announced its newest cotton innovation to prevail over resistant weeds, Axant™ Flex herbicide trait technology. This unprecedented quadruple-trait herbicide stack provides tolerance to Alite^™ 27 herbicide¹, BASF’s latest herbicide offering for cotton growers battling difficult to control weeds. This innovation is in addition to proven resistance management herbicide solutions Liberty^® and Engenia^® as well as glyphosate. BASF plans to bring Axant Flex technology to market in select FiberMax^® and Stoneville^® cottonseed varieties for the 2023 growing season, pending herbicide regulatory approval and identified country import approvals for the trait event.

“Herbicide-resistant weed pressure is one of the most pervasive challenges cotton growers face,” said Luke Mankin, BASF North America Regional Marketing Manager. “For decades, BASF has committed to bringing cotton growers new solutions to combat increasingly resistant weeds, and now with Axant Flex technology, we can give growers back the control and flexibility they need to more effectively win the war against weeds.”

The launch of Axant Flex technology provides cotton growers with the latest innovations in weed management as well as a few firsts for the cotton industry:

• Axant Flex technology features the Axant herbicide trait, the first trait developed and commercialized in cotton to enable the use of Alite 27 herbicide, an HPPD herbicide, plus GlyTol^®, LibertyLink^® and XtendLink^® technology traits.
• XtendLink^® technology enables cotton growers to spray over-the-top applications of Engenia herbicide.
• With Axant Flex technology, BASF will be the first and only company to offer a quadruple-herbicide tolerant/resistant trait stack in cotton in the U.S. market that helps growers gain control over yield-robbing weeds like Palmer amaranth.

Axant Flex technology provides cotton growers more weed control options and improved flexibility in creating weed management strategies.

• Growers can use four modes of action for more effective control of resistant weeds.
• Upon EPA approval, Alite 27 herbicide will provide more flexibility for many growers earlier in the season and can be applied pre-emergence or early post-emergence, as well as tank-mixed with other residual and knockdown herbicides to work within growers’ weed management program.
• The use of Alite 27 herbicide provides early control of difficult to manage weeds, giving cotton growers peace of mind and a widened application window to address post-emergent weed issues without the need to rush back into the field.

Axant Flex technology will be bred into the genetics growers have come to trust from BASF cottonseed brands, FiberMax and Stoneville. With the new Axant Flex trait technology, growers will not have to choose between the weed control they want and the fiber quality and yield potential they demand.

“I’m proud to be part of a team and a company that’s committed to delivering innovation that helps cotton farmers succeed in the fight against weeds,” said Dr. Stephane Pien, BASF Global Cotton Project Leader. “The commercialization of this trait technology has been more than a decade in the making and we’re excited that U.S. cotton producers will soon be able to take advantage of the benefits the Axant trait delivers.”

To learn more about Axant Flex technology, contact your local BASF representative or visit Axant-Flex.com. 

¹Alite™ 27 herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-433) is not registered for use on isoxaflutole-resistant cotton nor available for sale for such use. Information on using Alite 27 herbicide on isoxaflutole-resistant cotton is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to promote the sale of this product. Any sale of Alite 27 herbicide after registration is obtained for use on isoxaflutole-resistant cotton shall be based solely on the EPA-approved product label, and any claims regarding product safety and efficacy shall be addressed solely by the label.

Alite 27 Herbicide, a US EPA Restricted Use Pesticide, is currently labeled solely for weed control in GT27 or isoxaflutole-resistant soybean grown in select counties in certain states. This product is not labeled for use on isoxaflutole-resistant cotton.

After EPA approval of Alite 27 herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-433) registration allowing use on isoxaflutole-resistant cotton, Alite 27 herbicide may only be used on GT27 or isoxaflutole-resistant soybean or isoxaflutole-resistant cotton. Crops not containing a gene expressing an HPPD protein will not be tolerant to Alite 27 herbicide.

Alite is a trademark and Engenia, FiberMax, Glytol, Liberty, LibertyLink and Stoneville are registered trademarks of BASF.  XtendLink is a trademark of Bayer.

© 2021 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control, and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office, and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work — for farmers, society, and the planet. In 2020, our division generated sales of €7.7 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 17,000 employees in North America and had sales of $18.7 billion in 2020. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care, and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.