The first few weeks a soybean hits the soil is arguably the most critical time of the entire season. It’s during this vulnerable window that a crop’s genetic yield potential is either protected or compromised.
In an effort to help farmers realize more of their operation’s yield potential, Corteva Agriscience is introducing its first soybean broad-spectrum fungicide and insecticide seed treatment premix, Lumisena® Prime. Based on the results of extensive field testing, the company’s entry into the premix market can help farmers across the country maximize early-season plant health.
Mitigating Soybean’s Most Common Early-Season Stressors
The two primary threats to early-season soybean success — subterranean disease pressure and destructive pests — can cause patchy emergence, stunted seedlings, or catastrophic damping-off that costs time and money.
Among early-season diseases, Phytophthora is the leading yield-robbing pathogen in U.S. soybean production. Lumisena Prime targets this threat directly by incorporating the active ingredient oxathiapiprolin — the core chemistry behind the industry-leading Phytophthora control of Lumisena fungicide. In 638 head-to-head comparisons against traditional metalaxyl (0.75 fl oz/cwt) conducted across top soybean-producing states using identical varieties, Lumisena fungicide (0.568 fl oz/cwt) demonstrated superior stand protection under heavy Phytophthora disease pressure.
A seedling is highly vulnerable to insect feeding, which slows plant development and creates entryways for secondary fungal infections. To combat this threat, Lumisena Prime pairs disease protection with Phalanx™ insecticide seed treatment, featuring the active ingredient thiamethoxam. This shield provides comprehensive control against a broad spectrum of above- and below-ground insect pests during the critical early growth period:
- Below-ground pests : Controls wireworms, white grubs, and seedcorn maggots that feed on seeds and roots.
- Above-ground pests: Controls early-emerging aphids, bean leaf beetles, grape colaspis, leafhoppers, and thrips that feed on young vegetative tissue.
By addressing both disease and insect pressures at the same time, Lumisena Prime helps secure a healthy, uniform start, so seedlings can maximize their full genetic potential.
Early Treatment Yields Significant Results
For farmers demanding proof of performance, the viability of Lumisena Prime is evident in the data. To evaluate how this comprehensive protection translates to the field, Corteva conducted extensive, multi-year, multi-location testing under severe early-season weather stress (cold, wet soil) that frequently delays emergence and may favor pathogens.
¹Corteva Agriscience data resulting from tests conducted in 2023-2024 from 67 locations. ²Corteva Agriscience data conducted in 2023-2024 from 39 locations.
The field trials demonstrated that Lumisena Prime delivers visible improvements in both plant vigor (12.7) and greenness (60.2) compared to industry standards and untreated checks. This early-season resilience translates directly to the combine. Multi-year data shows that oxathiapiprolin delivered an average +1 bu/A yield advantage across the entire farm, which scales up to a +4 bu/A yield advantage in high-risk environments where Phytophthora pressure is highest.
Off-the-Shelf Solution Alleviates Retailer Mix Management
While a seed treatment’s ultimate viability is proven in the soil, its adoption in the market relies heavily on the retailers and independent seed companies managing it on the backend. Balancing top-tier agronomics with operational efficiency, ease of application, and smooth logistics is critical to any product’s success.
Lumisena Prime delivers its premium technology as an all-in-one premix. By pre-formulating five active ingredients into a single, off-the-shelf jug, the product streamlines facility management in three key areas:
- Application Consistency: Factory-engineered blending eliminates manual measuring and tank-mix variables, guaranteeing a highly stable, uniform application across every seed batch.
- Logistical Simplicity: Consolidating multiple products into a single SKU simplifies inventory tracking, reduces warehouse footprints, and minimizes bulk chemical handling and container disposal.
- Throughput Optimization: Streamlining the mixing process allows retailers to treat seed faster and more reliably, maximizing operational capacity when favorable planting windows open.
By simplifying seed treatment, retailers can focus on providing their customers with an error-free product that ultimately maximizes their facility’s seasonal profitability.
A Smart Choice for Crop and Counter
The introduction of Lumisena Prime represents a balanced evolution in seed treatment technology. By leading with elite, multi-bushel yield protection against the most threatening insects and diseases, and pairing it with a highly efficient, five-active premix formulation, Lumisena Prime represents a practical solution for planting season.
For independent seed companies and retailers looking to simplify their treatment operations while giving customers a highly uniform, resilient, and high-yielding start, Lumisena Prime is a competitive new choice.
To learn more about product specifications, localized trial results, or availability, visit the Lumisena Prime website.
™®Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Lumisena® Prime is not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. © Corteva 2026.
Lumisena fungicide® data is based on 638 head-to-head comparisons between Lumisena fungicide seed treatment (0.568 fl oz/cwt) and Metalaxyl (0.75 fl oz/cwt) in the top soybean-producing states through Dec. 12, 2017. Comparisons were made utilizing the same soybean variety.
