BASF Has Introduced a New Era of Soybean Trait Technology with Nemasphere

May 15, 2026
By Mathew Murphy
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

New Technology Combines Pest Resistance and Herbicide Control for Soybeans

BASF is advancing soybean innovation with the introduction of Nemasphere, a new trait stack designed to help growers tackle one of the industry’s most persistent yield threats—soybean cyst nematode (SCN)—while expanding herbicide flexibility.

Justin Moritz, Trait Technology Specialist with BASF, outlined to farms.com how the technology is expected to fit into future soybean production systems.

Currently targeted for launch in the 2028, pending regulatory approvals, Nemasphere represents a dual approach to crop protection by combining advanced nematode resistance with enhanced herbicide tolerance.

SCN remains the number one yield-robbing pathogen in soybeans, costing growers an estimated $1 to $1.5 billion annually in lost production.

While existing resistance traits have been widely adopted, their effectiveness has declined over time as SCN populations adapt. Nemasphere introduces a novel Bt-based nematode resistance trait that works throughout the growing season, offering a new line of defense against evolving SCN pressure.

This trait will also be stacked with existing native resistance technologies, creating a more durable and long-lasting solution for growers.

At its core, Nemasphere integrates with Enlist E3 herbicide technology, delivering a familiar and proven weed control system while adding new flexibility.

Farmers using Nemasphere will have access to four modes of herbicide action, including glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D choline, and HPPD inhibitors such as mesotrione for pre-emergent applications.

This expanded toolbox gives growers more options to manage herbicide-resistant weeds and maintain clean fields throughout the season.

By pairing advanced SCN control with broader herbicide options, BASF positions Nemasphere as a system that enables soybeans to reach their full genetic potential.

SCN has historically reduced yield potential—often without visible symptoms—making it a silent but significant threat in soybean production.

With stronger, season-long protection, growers may be able to recover lost performance and better capitalize on high-yielding genetics.

As development continues, BASF is encouraging growers to stay informed and speak with their seed providers about future availability.

With its expected arrival later in the decade, Nemasphere represents a major step forward in integrated soybean trait technology, delivering a combination of productivity, protection, and long-term resilience in the field.

Video: Turning Plant Defense Into a Management Strategy

Turning Plant Defense Into a Management Strategy

Understanding how a plant responds to stress is one thing.

Using that knowledge to make better management decisions is another.

Systemic acquired resistance, or SAR, is the plant's more direct defense response. When stress or infection occurs, the plant begins signaling throughout its system and preparing defensive compounds.

But if we know that response exists, can we help prepare the plant before the stress arrives?

The answer starts with understanding what triggers the response and what the plant needs to carry it out.

The Trigger and the Fuel

Salicylic acid plays an important role in triggering the SAR pathway.

Think of it as turning the truck on.

The engine may be running, but it still needs fuel to do the work.

In this case, manganese plays an important role in supporting the enzyme systems involved in the plant's defensive response.

This makes manganese status an important part of the conversation. Whether a producer is using tissue testing, sap analysis, or simply scouting for visible deficiency symptoms, the goal is to make sure the plant has adequate manganese available.

Manganese is required in relatively small amounts, but that does not make its role small.

If the plant receives a signal to defend itself but lacks the nutrition needed to support that response, it may struggle to carry out the process efficiently.

The trigger matters.

The fuel matters too.

Prepare Before the Stress Arrives

The best time to think about stress management is before the plant is overwhelmed.

Once a crop is already struggling, management can quickly turn into a game of catch-up.

This is similar to nitrogen management. Once a plant becomes severely deficient, correcting the problem does not necessarily erase the time and yield potential already lost.

Plant defense can work the same way.

Low-rate, targeted approaches designed to support the SAR pathway may fit best ahead of an expected stress event rather than after significant damage has already occurred.

That requires producers to think about predictable stress.

We may not know exactly what the weather will do tomorrow, but we generally know summer heat is coming. We know certain field conditions increase disease pressure. We know a herbicide application can temporarily stress a crop as the plant processes the chemistry.

Even a properly timed and labeled herbicide application can create a temporary response in the plant.

That does not mean the herbicide is bad.

Weeds can create significantly more yield loss than the temporary stress caused by controlling them.

The question is not whether we should eliminate every stressor.

The question is whether we can better prepare the plant to manage necessary and predictable stress.

Not All Stress Is Bad

Stress is a normal part of plant growth.

A perfectly stress-free environment does not exist in the field.

In fact, some stress is necessary for normal plant development. A plant responds to wind, temperature, moisture, sunlight, and countless other environmental signals throughout the season.

The environment is stress.

The plant's job is to manage it.

Problems begin when the stress load becomes greater than the plant's ability to respond.

Extreme heat, drought, high salt concentrations, disease pressure, and even certain management practices can add to that load.

This is where understanding SAR becomes useful.

Instead of waiting until the plant is visibly struggling, producers can begin identifying periods when stress is likely and make management decisions around those windows.

ISR Starts With the Soil

While SAR is a more direct defense response, induced systemic resistance, or ISR, brings the conversation back to soil health.

The longevity of a farm is closely connected to the health of its soil.

Carbon plays a major role because it supports biological life within the soil. Bacteria, fungi, and other organisms interact with plant roots and influence how the plant grows, accesses nutrients, and prepares for stress.

This is why soil health cannot be reduced to one product or one application.

It is a system.

Keeping living plants in the field longer can support biological activity. Cover crops may fit some operations. Better water management can improve soil conditions.