Special bacteria helps control nematodes in sugarcane

Nematodes represent an important challenge for sugarcane fields. Recent studies indicate that the infestation of these pests can reduce the productivity of the first cut by up to 30%. In ratoon sugarcane, there is a 20% drop due to cutting. Furthermore, nematodes reduce the longevity of the crop in one cut, which represents great losses for farmers.

To combat them, science relies on the most modern, such as an exclusive strain (Y1336) of Bacillus subtilis. The production of chitinases by the bacteria inhibits the hatching of nematodes from their eggs and reduces the number of juveniles in the soil, as well as the number of eggs. It is worth remembering that the eggshell and the external skin and interior of the nematode intestine contain chitin (PINTO, 2022). But there are other substances produced by B. subtilis that reduce the occurrence of the pest in the soil, such as: disorientation through the proliferation and creation of a biofilm of the microorganism involving root exudates, the main way nematodes guide themselves to infect plant roots.

This tool appears to be essential in the Brazilian market, considering that action against nematodes is urgent. After all, the problem is spread across all producing regions in Brazil, especially in the State of São Paulo, with cases concentrated in the regions surrounding the municipalities of Araçatuba, Jaú, Lins, Piracicaba, Presidente Prudente, Ribeirão Preto and São José do Rio Preto . It is worth remembering that the territory of São Paulo alone represents 57% of the more than 750 million tons of sugarcane produced in the country, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

A great advantage of using compounds produced with Bacillus subtilis is that there is no mixing of the product with chemical ingredients. This is an increasing trend in the sugarcane market, since sugar and alcohol companies have very serious commitments to environmental protection and the safety of their employees. With this bacteria, producers obtain superior persistence capacity of the nematicide at the site of application and rapid proliferation of Bacillus, in addition to having an easy-to-handle product at hand.

Before reaching the sugarcane fields, the Y1336 strain of Bacillus subtilis was already registered for more than 50 crops. The bacteria was developed by Bion Tech, in Taiawn, commissioned by the Indian multinational UPL and has already won the 2016 Plant Protection Products Contribution Award in China. With this resource, sugarcane fields will quickly advance towards increasingly sustainable and quality production.