BW Fusion Unveils BW Defend™ Biological Control Series, Marking a New Era in Crop Protection

BW Fusion Unveils BW Defend™ Biological Control Series, Marking a New Era in Crop Protection

EPA-registered insect and fungicide technologies integrated for early-season performance

FORT WAYNE, IND. — BW Fusion today released BW Defend™, a new lineup of biocontrol products that expands the company’s portfolio into EPA-registered bioinsecticide and biofungicide solutions. The new product supports integrated pest management and delivers season-long plant defense through early plant colonization.

The BW Defend™ series pairs BW Fusion’s Inclusion Carrier Technology™ featuring DUST™ with crop-specific biostimulants and biocontrol strains. 

“Biocontrols are the future of farming. BW Defend™ is the first to BW Fusion and a strategic addition to our lineup that fits seamlessly into how we help growers become more efficient,” said Greg McClure, VP of Strategy for BW Fusion. “This gives growers another tool that works with our systems approach, supporting healthier soil and plants, helping defend yield potential season-long, and offering more options that work with biology instead of just stacking additional chemistry.”

BW Defend™ Solutions for Corn and Soybeans

• Corn
  • BW Defend™ FC – fungi-focused protection
    • Tar Spot, Crown Rot, Southern Rust
  • BW Defend™ PC – pest-focused protection
    • Corn Rootworm, Mexican Corn Rootworm, Southern Corn Rootworm, Corn Wireworm, White Grubs, Fall Armyworm, Root Knot Nematode
• Soybeans
  • BW Defend™ FS – fungi-focused protection
    • Sclerotinia White Mold, Pythium Damping Off, Rhizoctonia Root/Stem Rot, Fusarium SDS, Phytophthora Root Rot
  • BW Defend™ PS – pest-focused protection
    • Root Knot Nematode, Soybean Looper, Stink Bug

BW Defend™ fungi-focused protection showed a 5.9 bushel benefit for corn and a 3.4 bushel benefit for soy in 2023-2025 field trials. The products use pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph (PPFM) biocontrol strains that colonize the plant early to activate plant defense pathways. The result is a priming effect, where plants respond more quickly and strongly if pest or disease pressure occurs later in the season.

Shelf Life, Seed Viability, and Compatibility

• Two-year shelf life in package
• 180-day viability once applied to seed
• Compatibility with many common fungicide and insecticide seed treatments
   

“BW Defend™ is an opportunity to add another layer for customers, enter a new space responsibly, and do it with the research, regulatory discipline, and data-backed positioning expected of BW Fusion,” said McClure.

BW Defend™ is a part of the BW Control™ Series and is available for the 2026 planting season. Customers can call 888-429-3874 or talk to their local BW Fusion (FSR) field service representative. The product launch is a result of the finalized agreement with New Leaf Symbiotics and BW Fusion.