CLEARFIELD® wheat provides non-GMO alternative for one-pass weed control

Starting with the 2005 growing season, western Canadian wheat growers will have access to herbicide tolerant wheat. The CLEARFIELD wheat production system is the first and only non-genetically modified, herbicide tolerant, one-pass weed control system in  Canada for this crop.

"Getting more out of wheat production is what CLEARFIELD wheat is all about," says Scott Chapman, CLEARFIELD Business Manager for BASF Canada. The  CLEARFIELD system is comprised of ADRENALIN(TM), a custom-designed broad  spectrum herbicide, and CDC Imagine, the first CLEARFIELD wheat variety that has been bred to be tolerant to ADRENALIN.

"The herbicide component of the CLEARFIELD wheat system provides Prairie  growers with complete grass control in wheat," Chapman notes. "Whether you're  looking for control of Wild Oats and Green Foxtail, including Group I  resistant types, or control of tough southern grasses such as Persian Darnel  or Barnyard Grass, ADRENALIN takes care of them all." With the CLEARFIELD  wheat production system, growers are also able to expand their weed control  options to include control of volunteer barley and off-types of wheat for the  first time, Chapman says.

CDC Imagine is the first CLEARFIELD wheat variety bred for tolerance to  ADRENALIN herbicide. A Canadian Western Red Spring variety, CDC Imagine is  valued for its consistent milling characteristics and strong agronomic traits.  "It's a medium maturity variety," Chapman says, "and is characterized by good  lodging resistance, above average protein and good yield potential."  CLEARFIELD wheat was developed using traditional plant breeding methods and is  recognized both domestically and internationally as a non-GMO crop.

"Wheat, and spring wheat in particular, has always been an important crop  for a variety of reasons including rotational considerations," Chapman points  out. "The CLEARFIELD wheat production system offers Prairie wheat growers the  opportunity to get more out of their wheat production."

Growers should consult Agricore United and Saskatchewan Wheat Pool retailers for more information.

About BASF Agricultural Products

With sales of (euro) 3,176 million in 2003, BASF's Agricultural Products  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 yields and  quality of agricultural crops. Other uses include public health,  structural/urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants. BASF aims to turn knowledge rapidly into market success. The vision of BASF's Agricultural  Products 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 at  www.agriculturalproducts.basf.com.

(R) CLEARFIELD is a registered trademark of BASF.
(TM) ADRENALIN is a trademark of BASF.