Build a strong plant foundation with Canopy^® at T0

This season has similarities to last season. The autumn for many was not as bad, but the weather still meant many found it difficult to establish their winter cereals in the desired window.

This has meant that once again there are early drilled crops which were well established and growing well, and later drilled crops that are more backward.

Key Messages

• Build a strong foundation to support the plant through to harvest.
• A programmed approach to PGRs is the most consistent way to create both optimal crop canopy structure and ear/tiller numbers for yield.
• Canopy^® with its combination of active ingredients provides reliable performance at T0 timing where weather conditions can be variable.

Why a PGR at T0?

Creating a stable platform for high yielding crops requires a good foundation. Providing this stem base strength, increasing the root plate and shortening lower internodes will help the crop resist lodging forces later in the season.

Plants can never ‘catch-up’ with late season PGRs if a good foundation has not been built.

Even if the weather is dry around the T0 timing, accurately predicting the following weather and lodging pressures on a crop later in the season is not possible, so the key is to begin a programme early.

Canopy^® has been proven to increase root dry matter by up to 27% and treated crops have 30% higher tensile strength. Increased rooting will lead to better root coverage in the soil which in turn leads to better nutrient uptake.

Canopy^® also helps with tiller retention. Reducing apical dominance helps the plant put energy into its side tillers making these stronger and more viable. This is particularly important with backward crops that need to maintain all the tillers they have to produce the maximum yield potential.

Build a strong foundation

• Increase the root plate spread for better anchorage and water/nutrient uptake.
• Balance and strengthen tillers, creating an even crop with uniform leaf emergence to assist in more accurate fungicide timings for leaf 3 applications (T1).
• Thicken and strengthen the 1^st internode as it develops.

PGRs are considered an insurance policy for the crop and it is very difficult to predict whether it is going to be a ‘lodging year’, but the cost in yield reduction and gross profit is well known. If you are going to take out an insurance policy, use one that is proven to provide the necessary cover.

Canopy^® will:

• Be immediately available within the plant to provide instant PGR effects
• Give timing flexibility with activity at lower temperatures^o (active from 5C)
• Activity independent from sunlight requirements
• Give long lasting activity
• Label use across different winter cereals

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact your local BASF agronomy manager. Contact details can be found at www.agricentre.basf.co.uk. Or call the BASF Technical Services Hotline: 0845 602 2553 .

Canopy^®https://agriculture.basf.com/gb/en contains prohexadione calcium and mepiquat chloride. Canopy^® is a registered trademark of BASF. All other products are those of other manufacturers where proprietary rights may exist. Always read the label and product information before use. For further product information including warning phrases and symbols refer to

Caryx^® is a registered trademark of BASF. Caryx^® contains metconazole + mepiquat-chloride. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

For further product information including warning phrases and symbols refer to www.agricentre.basf.co.uk.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact your local BASF Agronomy Manager or the BASF Technical Services Hotline: 0845 602 2553.