In 2023, BASF registered Rely® 280 for use in cantaloupe, cucumber, summer squash, watermelon, tomato, and pepper. The registration occurred as two separate supplemental labels- one for cucurbits and one for fruiting vegetables. Both supplemental labels were set to expire in December of 2025. These supplemental labels allowed for the use of Rely® 280 as a preplant burndown or in-season row-middle application. Prior to these supplemental labels, the extreme 180-day plant-back restriction made the use of glufosinate-containing products impractical for these crops. Since 2023, many Indiana farmers have adopted these expanded uses into their weed management programs. In 2024, BASF added cucurbit and flowering-vegetable uses to its Rely® 280 container label. The future of Rely® 280 and other glufosinate-containing herbicides has led to many questions in recent weeks.
Is Rely® 280 still being made?
No. Shortly after these supplemental labels became available, BASF stopped making Rely® 280. In early 2025, BASF stopped making Liberty® 280 (the row-crop equivalent of Rely® 280). Instead, BASF has shifted production to Liberty® ULTRA. Unfortunately for specialty crop farmers, Liberty® ULTRA is currently only registered for LibertyLink® and glufosinate-resistant crops. This does, however, include glufosinate-resistant varieties of sweet corn.
Can I use Liberty® 280?
No, not yet. This is a good question. Rely® 280 and Liberty® 280 are the exact same product- the only difference is the label on the front of the jug. However, the label is the law. Some states have supplemental Liberty® 280 labels, allowing their growers the flexibility to use existing Liberty® 280 stocks the same way they would have used Rely® 280 on cucurbits and fruiting vegetables. The Purdue Horticulture Crops Weed Science Lab and the Office of the Indiana State Chemist (OISC) are working with our colleagues at BASF to request a supplemental label for Liberty® 280 as a short-term measure. However, it has not been approved yet.
What about “generics”?
Numerous companies carry a “280” formulation of glufosinate. One of those companies, Loveland Products Incorporated, has labeled their glufosinate product (Forfeit® 280) in Georgia with a 24 C Special Local Need registration for cucurbits and fruiting vegetables. There are currently no generic formulations of glufosinate registered for use on cucurbits and fruiting vegetables in Indiana. However, we are working with OISC, chemical companies, and Indiana vegetable farmers to pursue “generic” glufosinate registrations for cucurbits and fruiting vegetables.
If I have Rely® 280, can I use it?
Yes, existing stocks of Rely® 280 can continue to be used according to label directions. The current Rely® 280 jug label, which includes the expanded uses for cucurbits and fruiting vegetables, can be downloaded from the CDMS website
Where can I get updates?
Updates on this topic will be shared in future issues of the Vegetable Crop Hotline.
For more information on how to use Rely® 280 in cucurbits and fruiting vegetables, you can visit this archived VCH article: Rely® 280 Added to Row Middle Weed Control Arsenal in Select Crops | Purdue University Vegetable Crops Hotline