EPA Clears Ridivex and Winger SC for 2027 Weed Battle

Corn, soybean and wheat growers picked up two new EPA-cleared herbicides in October 2026, as BASF registered Ridivex and UPL launched Winger SC ahead of the 2027 season. Both products are built on pyroxasulfone, a Group 15 herbicide, but they split on strategy — BASF stacks three sites of action in one premix, while UPL sells standalone residual control.

Ridivex combines diflufenzopyr (Group 19), dicamba (Group 4) and pyroxasulfone (Group 15). BASF's product announcement claims visible effects on susceptible weeds within four hours and residual activity lasting up to eight weeks under favorable conditions. The company also reports activity on more than 200 broadleaf weed species. Caveats apply. Actual performance, BASF notes, depends on environmental conditions, application timing and weed susceptibility.

What does this change for weed resistance?

The timing matters. Waterhemp and Palmer amaranth rank among the most economically damaging weeds in U.S. row crops, competing hard for sunlight, moisture and nutrients. Multiple-herbicide-group resistance in those populations has already broken conventional programs. Stacking effective modes of action can slow further resistance, but ingredient count alone guarantees nothing — especially where weed populations already tolerate one or more components of the premix.

Winger SC takes the other path. UPL offers standalone pyroxasulfone for residual management in corn, soybeans, wheat and selected specialty crops. The formulation fits preplant or preemergence programs alongside complementary herbicides. Labeled uses include annual grass control in spring wheat across Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana — a regional option for growers managing resistant grasses in different cropping systems.

The economics question

For farmers building 2027 crop protection budgets, the core question is whether these products improve returns or just add another input line. Residual control can suppress later-emerging weeds and limit replenishment of the soil weed seedbank, easing management pressure in future seasons. But profitability hinges on pricing, application costs, local weed pressure and how well current programs already perform. Company claims aren't harvested results. Independent field performance data should come before any major program overhaul.

Regulatory fine print

EPA registration doesn't replace the label. Growers must follow crop-specific application requirements, environmental precautions and resistance-management instructions. Dicamba restrictions deserve particular attention with Ridivex, given off-target movement risk. Herbicides still work best inside a wider system: crop rotation, timely scouting, mechanical practices and precision agriculture.

What's next

Ridivex reaches the market in 2027; Winger SC is positioned for the upcoming growing season. Neither is a permanent fix for resistance. The real test lands in commercial fields, where weed populations, weather and application decisions — not label claims — decide performance. For growers and retailers, the priority is matching new chemistry to local agronomy while protecting long-term productivity and holding the line on input costs.