BASF introduces Sharpen herbicide for preplant burndown that uses company's Kixor herbicide technology; product targeted to rice growers seeking to control broadleaf weeds, including glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth and marestail

Alison Gallant

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina , January 19, 2012 (press release) – Rice growers seeking to get early control of the toughest broadleaf weeds - including glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth and marestail - now have the option of using Sharpen® herbicide, powered by Kixor® herbicide technology, for preplant burndown.

"Using a comprehensive weed management program that starts with Sharpen helps rice growers reduce time spent later in the season dealing with tough weeds," said Bryan Perry, Kixor Marketing Manager with BASF. "This label expansion will help rice growers start clean and stay clean until the end of the season."

As an industry leader, BASF is dedicated to providing solutions, technical support and educational tools to help growers implement a weed management program based on herbicide best practices. This includes utilizing herbicides with multiple sites of action.

"Sharpen gives growers the opportunity to incorporate another site of action, helping them prevent and manage a broad range of resistant broadleaf weeds," said Perry. "In addition to Palmer amaranth and marestail, Sharpen has been proven effective at controlling weeds such as morningglory and smartweed."
Sharpen also provides rice growers with a fast, flexible option for burndown. Sharpen is three to five times faster than 2, 4-D ester and glyphosate and its residual activity can provide a wider, more effective window for postemergence herbicide applications.

For more information on BASF Crop protection products, visit.

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:
BASF - The Chemical Company

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.

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, and agricultural products to oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges, such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €63.9 billion in 2010 and had approximately 109,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at.

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