Addressing Stress To Help NW Grain Growers Improve Their Bottom Line

In many ways, the 2026 growing season is in its infancy, but now is the time for wheat and barley growers to think about harvest and steps needed to improve ROI.

Kim Tutor, Technical Marketing Manager for Fungicides with BASF says they have a great portfolio of options to help protect yield and quality.  She noted their lead recommendation is Sphaerex fungicides.

“It combines two of the most effective active ingredients in protecting against troublesome diseases like Fusarium head blight and head scab," Tutor said.  "Those diseases can be particularly problematic because they generate vomitoxins, one of which is DON.  DON can be problematic because you get dockages when you take that grain to the elevator.   So specifically, up in the PNW, if you're looking at grain that's going into food grade products, that's going into feed, barley as well, it's a phenomenal product in terms of just protecting against those diseases and ensuring that you optimize your bottom line.”

Addressing Stress In Its Many Forms

Tutor added whether it’s wheat or barley, the goal is to mitigate stress and optimize yields.

“And so stress can come in any form like you just hit on. It can be disease, it can be heat and drought, right?  So with a product from BASF, like if you take for example Nexicor or Priaxor or Headline, we're gonna help optimize the growth efficiency of that plant.  We're gonna help improve its root growth as well as its shoot growth.  We're gonna help drive photosynthesis, which at the end of the day is ultimately driving yield.”

Tutor acknowledged everyone’s budget is stretched thin right now, but she said not using the appropriate fungicides when needed in the field may save a few dollars in the short-term, but will cost you when it comes time to sell that grain.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com