Syngenta has taken BASF to court in the United States to block the launch of a new corn herbicide. Two Syngenta crop-protection units sued BASF Agricultural Solutions US in the federal district court in Delaware on 14 July 2026, alleging that BASF’s Ridivex infringes a patent tied to Syngenta’s competing Storen product, according to the court docket and Bloomberg Law.
Ridivex combines the herbicide pyroxasulfone with a safener that Syngenta identifies as isoxadifen-ethyl, a chemical that protects the corn crop while the herbicide kills weeds. Syngenta says that combination is covered by its US Patent No. 8,404,618.
A race against the selling season
Syngenta moved quickly. The docket shows it filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, with a sealed opening brief, on 15 July, and BASF was served the next day. According to a report by Milling MEA citing Reuters, Syngenta told the court the US Environmental Protection Agency could approve Ridivex within days, and argued that a launch during distributors’ June-to-September buying window could displace Storen before sales to growers begin.
Beyond an injunction, Syngenta is asking for lost profits or, at a minimum, a reasonable royalty. No public response from BASF was included in the reports reviewed by TradeWar.
Why it matters
Pre-emergence corn herbicides are a large and competitive market, and new formulations are one of the few ways crop-protection companies win share from rivals. A preliminary injunction would be a significant early win for Syngenta; a refusal would let BASF sell while the case runs, which can take years.
In crop chemicals the calendar is a weapon: a product that misses the distributor buying season can lose a whole year of sales.
What to watch
- The court’s ruling on Syngenta’s preliminary injunction motion.
- BASF’s answer to the complaint and any challenge to the validity of the patent.
