BASF SE : BASF research: Priaxor™ fungicide is effective on cereal diseases, helps boost yield potentials

Three years of studies indicate Priaxor fungicide will provide excellent control of yield-robbing diseases in winter wheat and barley

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, January 26, 2012 -- As the 2012 growing season approaches, cereal growers looking to plan ahead to control diseases will have a new option in Priaxor™ fungicide.BASF today announced research results that indicate Priaxor can effectively control some of the most troubling diseases in winter wheat and barley while also helping to boost yield potentials. Priaxor is expected to receive U.S. EPA registration in 2012.

Priaxoris a premix that contains two active ingredients, pyraclostrobin, the same active ingredient found in Headline® fungicide, and Xemium® fungicide, a new active ingredient in the carboxamide family. Headline, which contains the active ingredient pyraclostrobin, provides effective disease control and Plant Health benefits.

"This latest collection of research on Priaxor again shows that it is effective at controlling diseases and helping to increase yield potentials," said Chris Wharam, BASF Business Representative. "Incidence of diseases such as scald in barley and powdery mildew in winter wheat was lower on Priaxor-treated crops in 2011 research trials versus those treated by products currently on the market - and significantly lower compared to crops left untreated."

Priaxorstudies were conducted across the United States over three years, from 2009 through 2011. Research was on the effects of early application timing on winter

wheat and barley compared to other products currently on the market, as well as the impact of sequential applications with complementary fungicides.

Studies of Priaxor applied to winter wheat show that application at flag leaf bumped yields to almost 66 bu/A, an increase of 4 bu/A over untreated winter wheat.

Overall, Priaxor showed effective disease control of diseases such as powdery mildew and Septoria leaf and glume blotch (Septoria tritici; Septoria nodorum)in winter wheat. For example:

• -In the 2011 research, Priaxor-treated winter wheat showed as little as 15 percent severity of Septoria tritici 37 days after flag leaf treatment. By comparison, untreated winter wheat showed as much as 48.8 percent severity.

• -31 days after being treated with Priaxor, winter wheat showed 1.4 percent severity of Septoria nodorum, compared to more than 13 percent severity when left untreated.

• -Priaxor-treated winter wheat showed roughly 15 percent incidence of powdery mildew, while untreated winter wheat showed more than 35 percent incidence of the yield-robbing disease.

In 2011 barley research, Priaxor-treated crops showed as little as 23.5 percent incidence of scald - compared to 86.7 percent incidence in untreated crops.

"Research indicates Priaxorshould be an important tool to help prevent a broad spectrum of winter wheat and barley diseases that negatively impact yield," Wharam said. "As this research shows, the combination of the active ingredient Xemium, and the same active ingredient as in Headline, should help Priaxor to provide a new level of disease control resulting in higher yield potentials."

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About the Crop Protection division

With sales of €4.0 billion in 2010, BASF's Crop Protection division is a leader in crop protection and a strong partner to the farming industry providing well-established and innovative fungicides, insecticides and herbicides. Farmers use these products and services to improve crop yields and crop quality. Other uses include public health, structural/urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants, vegetation management, and forestry. BASF aims to turn knowledge rapidly into market success. The vision of BASF's Crop Protection division is to be the world's leading innovator, optimizing agricultural production, improving nutrition, and thus enhancing the quality of life for a growing world population. Further information can be found on the web ator follow us on twitter:

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BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,400 employees in North America, and had sales of $17.7 billion in 2010. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit.

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Priaxorand Xemium are not registered by the U.S. EPA and are not available for sale. This document is for informational purposes only and is not intended to promote the sale of this product. Any sale of this product after registration is obtained shall be solely based on the EPA-approved product label, and any claims regarding product safety and efficacy shall be addressed solely by the label.

Always read and follow label directions.

Priaxor is a trademark of BASF.

Headline and Xemium are registered trademarks of BASF.

APN 12-01-088-0021xm-1