Over-the-top dicamba use registered for 2026 on dicamba-tolerant soybeans

Eric Burkness, Research scientist, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Sally Raymond, UMN Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education Extension educator & Tana Haugen-Brown, UMN Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education Extension educator

Figure 1. Soybean field being sprayed with pesticide.

Over-the-top dicamba use returns to Minnesota for the 2026 season. On Feb. 6, the EPA approved the federal registrations for the following dicamba products Engenia® Herbicide (EPA Reg. No: 7969-507), Stryax™ with VaporGrip® Technology (EPA Reg. No: 264-1241), and Tavium® Plus VaporGrip® Technology (EPA Reg. No: 100-1753)¹. 

The new registrations are for over-the-top (OTT) use on dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybeans for the 2026 and 2027 growing seasons (Figure 1). New mitigation measures are required for use to reduce drift, minimize volatility, and protect the environment. As in previous years, state-specific restrictions will be in place for OTT applications of dicamba in Minnesota.

The three OTT dicamba products, Engenia®, Stryax™, and Tavium®, include the following state-specific restrictions on the product labels. 

• Cutoff date: Do not apply south of interstate 94 after June 12. Do not apply north of interstate 94 after June 30.
• Cutoff temperature for the entire state: Do not apply if the air temperature of the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Forecasted temperature must be recorded at the start of the application.

These federal registrations are valid until Feb. 6, 2028. Use restrictions will be promoted through the mandatory annual dicamba specific training provided by the manufacturers. Compliance with Minnesota-specific restrictions and other restrictions listed on the product label is mandatory. For more information visit Over-the-Top Dicamba | Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

If you are planning to use one of the restricted-use dicamba products, licensed applicators must complete annual training specific to OTT dicamba use offered by dicamba registrants, keeping users informed of label requirements, best practices, and environmental protection guidelines. Licensed applicators also must follow requirements of the Minnesota Pesticide Control Law.

Other important restrictions

• A maximum of two applications of 0.5 lbs of dicamba acid equivalent per acre may be made annually, for a maximum of 1.0 lb per acre of all dicamba products annually.
• Requiring both an approved drift reduction agent (DRA) and a pH buffering volatility reducing agent (VRA) be tank mixed with the dicamba products prior to any over the top (post emergence) application.
• Requiring a 240 feet downwind buffer between the last treated row and the nearest downwind field/area edge. 
• Growth stage specific restrictions: for Tavium® application is prohibited after V4 growth stage and Stryax™ application is prohibited after R1 growth stage.
• Growers must achieve 3 runoff/erosion mitigation points from the Environmental Protection Agency’s certified conservation practices Mitigation Menu | US EPA on each treated field to protect endangered and threatened species. In geographically specific pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs), identified through Bulletin's Live Two, especially vulnerable species require additional safeguards, and 6 mitigation points will be required. These practices—such as vegetative buffers, contour farming, and cover crops—physically prevent dicamba from moving off-field in runoff or eroded soil, protecting waterways and habitats (for more information see Pesticides and the Endangered Species Act | Minnesota Department of Agriculture).

Additional information on state-specific restrictions and OTT dicamba can be found on the MDA’s website at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/pesticide-fertilizer/over-top-dicamba. 

Always consult and follow the product label before use

¹No endorsement is implied, and no discrimination is intended in the reference of trade names.