2025 Agronomic Insights from the Innovation Center

Every year, the WinField^® United Innovation Center transforms massive amounts of agronomic data into practical, ROI-driven strategies for growers. From seed and traits to in-season tools and stress-mitigation technologies, our research is designed to answer one question: How can we help growers improve their operations to increase yields and on-farm profits?
 
The following statistics from 2025 illustrate the depth of our research efforts:

• +6 million data points collected
• +500 products tested
• 55,000 sq. ft. of research space
• 83 experimental formulations
• 3,655 wind-tunnel measurements
• +5,500 greenhouse plants
• 112,000 phenotyping measurements
• 4.3 miles of field testing

Our testing at the Innovation Center is the first step in bringing new product innovation to market. Five labs provide key intel on product formulations, crop protection and plant nutrition inputs, spray application characteristics, nutrient management and stress mitigation practices. Understanding these key management decisions is critical in maximizing performance and capturing more yield potential.

Turning Data and Insights into New Innovations

The research at the Innovation Center directly drives our product pipeline. Formulations advance only after they are proven across controlled environments, replicated trials and field-scale testing, ensuring growers can trust every product we produce.
 
Below are the 2025 “greatest hits” – the newest, most impactful products guided by Innovation Center insights and built to help growers solve real agronomic challenges.

SuperLock™ Adjuvant

More than 3,600 wind tunnel measurements guided the development of SuperLock™ adjuvant, a high surfactant crop oil concentrate. Our findings this year suggest adding SuperLock™ adjuvant provided 22% better weed control compared to herbicides alone.¹ SuperLock adjuvant helps growers by:

• Reducing driftable fine droplets and improving penetration into plant surfaces.
• Qualifying as a mitigation option under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Herbicide Strategy, supporting compliance without compromising performance.
•  Providing broad tank-mix compatibility and ease of use, simplifying application for busy spray windows.

Ascend^® ST3™ Plant Growth Regulator (PGR)

Ascend ST3™ PGR is a novel, auxin-dominant seed treatment PGR designed to strengthen early-season vigor, enhance germination and support root initiation. Ascend ST3 PGR helps growers by:

• Providing a 2.1 bu/A yield advantage² in early-planted soybeans vs. Warden CX^® II alone.
• Protecting crop establishment during cool, variable early-season conditions, especially important for today’s push toward earlier planting.
• Offering a low use rate and inoculant-friendly formulation to enable seamless seed treatment handling.

Dash™ Planter Box Seed Treatment (PBC/PBS)

Dash™ PBC and Dash PBS seed treatments combine eight synergistic microbial strains with an advanced lubricant to enhance yield potential and support early plant vigor. Dash PBS/PBC seed treatments help growers by:

• Delivering a 3.0 bu/A yield increase on average in corn.³
• Reducing dust vs. standard 80/20 talc/graphite, improving operator safety and equipment performance.
• Enhancing early nutrient release via N-fixing and P-solubilizing microbes.

What’s Next For 2026

Looking ahead, our efforts are not slowing down. With five new stress-mitigation products advancing in 2026 and more than 180,000 phenotyping measurements collected, we are continuing to push toward new innovations and opportunities for our growers. In the upcoming years, our trial efforts will expand even further through a larger footprint, increased on-farm testing and deeper collaboration with our retail partners.
 
With this data in hand, talk with your local trusted retailer to build a tailored, field-by-field plan for the upcoming season. With new genetics, advanced agronomic insights and cutting-edge technology, we aim to continue building stronger, more profitable acres in 2026 and beyond.
 
 
^1. _{6 reps per treatment. All treatments contained Enlist One (1.5 pt/A) and Liberty ULTRA (29 fl. oz./A) applied at 15 GPA to 4-inch velvetleaf plants. Adjuvant rates: Superb HC (0.5% v/v), InterLock (4 fl oz/A), SuperLock (12 fl oz/A). Average biomass of untreated control was 11.85 g. Means followed by the same letter are not statistically different with a confidence of 95%. P-value=0.0007.}
^2. _{13 Answer Plot locations.}
^3. _{Controlled environments trial: 3 reps per treatment. Rates: Dash PBC (0.5 oz/unit; 80,000 seed/unit), 80/20 talc/graphite (4 oz/cwt) corn. Means followed by the same letter are not statistically different. Field trial: 35 Answer Plot locations.}
 
^{All photos are either the property of WinField United or used with permission.
 
© 2026 WinField United. Important: Before use always read and follow label instructions. Crop performance is dependent on several factors many of which are beyond the control of WinField United, including without limitation, soil type, pest pressures, agronomic practices and weather conditions. Growers are encouraged to consider data from multiple locations, over multiple years and to be mindful of how such agronomic conditions could impact results. Ascend, Dash, SuperLock, Warden and WinField are trademarks of WinField United. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.}