Built-In Protection All Season Long
Deltapine® brand Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® cotton with XtendFlex® Technology (B3TXF) varieties provide built-in protection against key tarnished plant bugs and thrips species and can be a game changer for growers.
Bollgard 3 ThryvOn Cotton with XtendFlex Technology protects the cotton crop from plant bugs, according to Brian Braswell, who farms in the tough growing conditions of South Texas near Raymondville.
“When I go harvesting grain, you can see plant bugs splatting all over the windshield,” said Braswell. “They are moving into the cotton, and I just cannot spray for them every day when the pressure gets heavy. The ThryvOn Technology is the only thing that helps us make a top crop in those fields.”
Rich Williams, who farms near Suffolk, Virginia, enjoys the peace of mind the technology provides him.
“When I plant my cotton, I know the thrips are going to stay off of it and that it has some activity on plant bugs,” he said. “Sometimes, plant bugs will move into a field after you have scouted it, and I think that is where ThryvOn shines. It gives you peace of mind that the plant is still holding on to its fruit. The technology is not foolproof, but it is a tool in the bag that you need to use.”
With fewer thrips feeding on the young plants, crops can emerge healthier and often reach pinhead square faster.* ThryvOn Technology for cotton also helps suppress plant bugs, potentially delaying threshold buildup and reducing the number of sprays needed. With a 6.1% increase in square retention, ThryvOn Technology helps plants reach their yield potential.**
Field Scouting
Adult plant bugs can be difficult to control. Data has shown that they can inflict significant damage when present in the field at levels exceeding the economic threshold.
“ThryvOn Technology for cotton can help reduce immature plant bug numbers in many cases,” said Jay Mahaffey, manager of the Scott Learning Center in Mississippi. “However, appropriate scouting, threshold use and the application of efficacious insecticides remain a critical part of the production system when utilizing this trait. Research shows economic returns for the use of insecticidal treatments in both ThryvOn and non-ThryvOn cotton crops when plant bug numbers exceed the state-recommended threshold level.”
Growth Management
Plant growth regulator (PGR) use is perhaps the most critical component of a modern cotton management system.
Most cotton fields should receive some amount of PGR as soon as the label allows. Using the correct rate of PGR matters, particularly as it interacts with plant size. PGR rates should generally be reduced in dry, low-growth conditions and increased in high-growth environments or in fields with productive soils, all while considering varietal background and PGR response, surviving plant population in the field, and expected weather conditions and/or rainfall.
“PGRs reapportion energy within the cotton plant from vegetative to reproductive growth, pushing the plant into filling fruit rather than developing excess vegetative growth,” explained Mahaffey. “It is a delicate balance. When done right, it can lead to adequate numbers of nodes and, thereby, fruiting sites, which help plants to reach their optimal yield potential.”
Deltapine brand Bollgard 3 ThryvOn cotton with XtendFlex Technology varieties can help protect the crop against early-season key thrips species. That control helps support healthier plants and the opportunity to reach pinhead stage rapidly.*** PGRs are typically applied to all varieties and technologies at similar stages. Stance® Plant Growth Regulator is a recommended product to start PGR programs with. Featuring convenience and simplicity, it fits most management programs.
“Because ThryvOn Technology reduces feeding and damage from key thrips species, those stages can be reached sooner,” Mahaffey advised. “The aggressive early crop development may require early-season PGR management in some varieties.”
Visit Deltapine.com for more on ThryvOn Technology for cotton and Bayer Scott Learning Center for field research reports.
*Scouting is critical to determine which and how many insecticide applications are recommended to avoid economic loss greater than pest management costs (i.e., when economic thresholds are met). Check with your local state extension university for the latest spraying recommendations.
**Scouting is critical to determine which and how many insecticide applications are recommended to avoid economic loss greater than pest management costs (i.e., when economic thresholds are met). Check with your local state extension university for the latest spraying recommendations. 48 2021 farmer-managed Ground Breakers® Field Trials in the Cotton Belt (AL, AR, GA, MO, MS, NC, TN, TX) vs. the check (i.e., cotton varieties not containing ThryvOn® Technology) vs. cotton varieties not containing ThryvOn® Technology. 0.375mg ai/seed imidacloprid applied to the ThryvOn Technology seed.
***Based on research performed at the Bayer Scott Learning Center.
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No dicamba may be used in-crop with seed with Roundup Ready® Xtend Technology, unless and until approved or specifically permitted, and no dicamba formulations are currently registered for such use in the 2025 season. Please follow www.roundupreadyxtend.com/pages/xtendimax-updates.aspx for status updates. Dicamba may harm crops that are not tolerant to dicamba.
Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all applicable regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS.
It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology.
See the IRM/Grower Guide for additional information. Always read and follow IRM requirements.
B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state.
Roundup Ready® 2 Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Plants that are not tolerant to glyphosate may be damaged or killed if exposed to those herbicides. Plants that are not tolerant to glyphosate, dicamba, and/or glufosinate may be damaged or killed if exposed to those herbicides. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.
Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Not all products are registered for use in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state. Bayer, Bayer Cross, Bollgard®, Deltapine®, Roundup Ready®, Stance®, ThryvOn® Technology and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us. Bayer CropScience LP, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63167. ©2025 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.