Understanding Trends in Soybean Herbicide Programs

Client Objective

The US soybean herbicide market had seen rapid changes in recent years with the shift to dicamba tolerant varieties and then to 2,4-D tolerant varieties. Our client wanted to understand the resulting impact on the use of residual herbicides at the pre- and post-application timings and predict future changes.

Our Approach

• Drawing from our extensive grower database, we conducted an online survey targeting 600 soybean growers in the Midwest and Southern regions of the US.
• Respondents described their past, present, and future plans for soybean herbicide traits, and explained the reasons for their planting decisions.
  
• Respondents also described their past, present, and future plans for herbicide programs in each trait.
• Herbicides were classified as residual and non-residual. Data from respondents was then analyzed for trends in the use of residual and non-residual herbicides at each application timing in each trait.
• Reasons for use/non-use of residual products were explored.

The Results

The study clearly illustrated:

• Trends in soybean herbicide traits.
  
• Differences in herbicide programs in each trait over several years.
  
• Factors driving changes in grower practices.
  
• Factors impacting the future use of residual herbicides in soybeans.

Our client was able to use this information to identify the right strategies for their soybean herbicide business.