INSIGHTS
NanoPro® is an innovative product to support plant uptake of pesticide active ingredients.
Yield response to NanoPro in corn and soybeans varied by location.
Environmental or application conditions that limit the uptake of fungicide may amplify the importance of NanoPro.
NanoPro
NanoPro is a carrier adjuvant manufactured by Aqua Yield Operations, LLC, designed to improve plant uptake and pesticide efficacy. NanoPro can be added to herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators to improve active ingredient absorption. The active ingredients in NanoPro are humic acids that utilize nanoparticles to attract ions in pesticides as a delivery mechanism.
Agronomy in Action Research Trials
In 2024, the Golden Harvest Agronomy in Action Research team implemented trials in both corn and soybeans to evaluate the effect adding NanoPro to a fungicide has on yield. Trials were implemented at 5 locations in corn and 9 locations in soybeans through the Midwest. Treatments were similar for both corn and soybean trials.
Table 1. Corn hybrids and soybean varieties planted at each location based on relative maturity (RM). Check – no fungicide or NanoPro applied
Fungicide
Fungicide + NanoPro
The fungicide used was Miravis® Neo at 13.7 oz/acre and the NanoPro use rate was 4 oz/acre for both crops. Treatments were applied at the R1 (silking) growth stage in corn utilizing a DJI Agras T20P spray drone with 5 gallon per acre (gpa) water carrier volume. In soybeans, a ground sprayer was used with 20 gpa carrier volume at the R3 (beginning pod) growth stage.
Four hybrids or two varieties were used depending on the trial location (Table 1). All treatments were replicated four times at each location
Corn Yield Results
At all locations, disease pressure was minimal. Both Clinton, IL, and Malta, IL, had some gray leaf spot lesions, but it did not progress up the canopy. Malta, IL, also had tar spot appear late in the season near the end of grain fill stages and likely did not affect yield. Treatment responses were similar across all hybrids, therefore results were averaged across the four hybrids at each location.
On average across all locations and hybrids, fungicide significantly increased yield by 6 Bu/A (Graph 1). Since overall disease pressure was low, better plant health and stay-green likely drove the yield increase. Fungicide responses at individual locations ranged from 4 to 7 Bu/A (Graph 1).
When averaged across all locations and hybrids, adding NanoPro to the fungicide did not impact yield (Graph 1). Adding NanoPro did increase the fungicide response at 2 of the 5 locations by 5 Bu/A at Janesville, WI, and 3 Bu/A at Malta, IL. At Janesville, WI, the combination of fungicide and NanoPro significantly increased yield over the untreated check by 11 Bu/A (Graph 1).
Graph 1. Corn yield response to foliar fungicide and NanoPro at 5 locations averaged across 4 hybrids in 2024.Soybean Yield Results
Disease pressure was also minimal in soybeans across all locations. Soybeans grown at Malta, IL, did have some sclerotinia stem rot (white mold) which likely impacted yield. Janesville, WI, also had septoria brown spot but symptoms did not progress up the canopy. All varieties responded similarly to applied treatments, so results were averaged across the 2 varieties at each location.
On average across all varieties and locations, fungicide tended to increase yield by 1.1 Bu/A (Graph 2). Soybean yield response to fungicide was as high as 5.8 Bu/A and varied by location.
When averaged across varieties and locations, adding NanoPro to fungicide tended to increase yield by 0.9 Bu/A over fungicide alone (Graph 2). The combination of fungicide and NanoPro statistically yielded 2 Bu/A greater than the check on average. Similarly, at Malta, IL, fungicide alone did not statistically increase yield over the check, but when combined with NanoPro it did significantly increase yield by 8.4 Bu/A more than the check. The range in response from adding NanoPro to fungicide applications was between -1.0 and 5.1 Bu/A depending on the location (Graph 2).
Graph 2. Soybean yield response to foliar fungicide and NanoPro at 9 locations averaged across two varieties in 2024.Summary
NanoPro is an innovative product with a unique delivery mechanism to improve pesticide uptake. In these trials, response to NanoPro varied between locations and crops. On average, yield benefits from adding NanoPro to a fungicide application was minimal for both crops, yet there were a few times responses were quite significant. There was very little crop stress during times of application at these locations. Yield response to NanoPro may be greater under stressful crop conditions that are potentially limiting fungicide uptake. Similarly, low disease environments at most locations may have limited any potential benefits from adding NanoPro to fungicide applications in these trials. In elevated disease environments the value of NanoPro may be higher.
All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.
Product performance assumes disease presence.
© 2025 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. AAtrex 4L, AAtrex Nine-O, Acuron, Agri-Flex, Agri-Mek 0.15 EC, Agri-Mek SC, Avicta 500FS, Avicta Complete Beans 500, Avicta Complete Corn 250, Avicta Duo Corn, Avicta Duo 250 Corn, Avicta Duo COT202, Avicta Duo Cotton, Besiege, Bicep II Magnum, Bicep II Magnum FC, Bicep Lite II Magnum, Callisto Xtra, Denim, Endigo ZC, Endigo ZCX, Epi-Mek 0.15EC, Expert, Force, Force 3G, Force CS, Force 6.5G, Force Evo, Gramoxone SL 2.0, Gramoxone SL 3.0, Karate, Karate with Zeon Technology, Lamcap, Lamcap II, Lamdec, Lexar EZ, Lumax EZ, Medal II ATZ, Minecto Pro, Proclaim, Voliam Xpress and Warrior II with Zeon Technology are Restricted Use Pesticides.
Some seed treatment offers are separately registered products applied to the seed as a combined slurry. Always read individual product labels and treater instructions before combining and applying component products. Orondis Gold may be sold as a formulated premix or as a combination of separately registered products: Orondis Gold 200 and Orondis Gold B.
Important: Always read and follow label and bag tag instructions; only those labeled as tolerant to glufosinate may be sprayed with glufosinate ammonium-based herbicides. LibertyLink®, Liberty® and the Water Droplet logo are registered trademarks of BASF. HERCULEX® and the HERCULEX Shield are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience LLC. HERCULEX Insect Protection technology by Corteva Agriscience LLC. 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 at the time this material was published. Please follow https://www.roundupreadyxtend.com/pages/xtendimax-updates.aspx for status updates. See product labels for details and tank mix partners. Golden Harvest® and NK® soybean varieties are protected under granted or pending U.S. variety patents and other intellectual property rights, regardless of the trait(s) within the seed. The Enlist E3® soybean, LibertyLink®, LibertyLink® GT27®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield® and XtendFlex® soybean traits may be protected under numerous United States patents. It is unlawful to save soybeans containing these traits for planting or transfer to others for use as a planting seed. 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. Only 2,4-D choline formulations with Colex-D® Technology are approved for use with Enlist E3® soybeans. ENLIST E3® soybean technology is jointly developed with Corteva Agriscience LLC and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. The ENLIST trait and ENLIST Weed Control System are technologies owned and developed by Corteva Agriscience LLC. ENLIST® and ENLIST E3® are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience LLC. GT27® is a trademark of M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. and BASF. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, XtendFlex® and YieldGard VT Pro® are registered trademarks used under license from the Bayer Group.
Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.