By Brian Hefty

Are you considering using Headline in-furrow for corn this year?  Here are five important points you need to know if you want to use it:

  1. The correct rate, according to what we’ve been told by BASF, is 4 oz. per acre.  In the past, 6 oz. was recommended, but apparently the studies are now showing that 4 oz. gives about the same yield gain as 6 oz., so there’s no point in using the higher rate.
  2. While we’ve been using Headline in-furrow for a few years because our average yield gain has been 6 to 8 bushels, we have also seen no yield gain at times.  Just like almost anything else in agriculture, yield gains aren’t consistent because of all the other variables.  While we do think Headline in-furrow will be a good investment for corn on most farms, don’t think it will always give you exactly a 6 or 8 bushel gain.  However, if you can gain 6 bushels on average, that should double your investment in the product.
  3. If you want to try something new, BASF now has Xanthion, which is Headline plus Integral.  Integral is their bio-fungicide that has been used in Vault HP.  They are really excited about Xanthion, and for $1 per acre more, we are hoping it’s worth it.  We’ll be experimenting for the first time with Xanthion on our farm this year.  There are also many other fungicides either currently labeled or getting a label for in-furrow use.
  4. Fungicides don’t mix well with insecticides or liquid fertilizers unless you use lots of water.  In other words, mixability isn’t a big problem in the summer when you spray 10 gallons of water per acre along with a few ounces of insecticide and a few ounces of fungicide or fertilizer, but when you put straight Headline in the tank with straight Capture LFR or liquid fertilizer, gelling will be a major concern.  That’s why we recommend keeping the fungicide separate by using a Dosatron or some other system.  Keep in mind, too, that fungicides can potentially crystallize when the temperature gets really cold, so keeping your planter in your heated shop overnight may be beneficial in a cold spring.
  5. I know it may seem a little crazy to use an in-furrow fungicide when your seed already has a fungicide treatment on it.  That’s what I said a few years ago when we first tried this, but it worked.  Like we always say, try it out on your own farm on a few acres if you’ve never done it before.  Prove it to yourself before you go with it on the whole farm.  That’s what we did, and that’s why we’re now using in-furrow fungicide on all our corn acres.  We haven’t found the same results in soybeans, but we’re anxious to run some more trials with Priaxor, as that product has shown the most promise so far in soybeans.