Essential nutrition to protect your crops

Use of IR Cube associated with conventional fungicides in wheat reduced the severity of Bacteriosis by 94,8%, of Yellow Spot by 66,7% and increased productivity by 16,6 bags per hectare, in relation to the standard treatment. Furthermore, the grain mass and hectoliter weight increased, providing better quality grain.

In Brazil, wheat cultivation (Triticum aestivum) occupies an area of ​​2,5 million hectares for a production of 7,6 million tons. One of the major obstacles to high crop productivity is the occurrence of a high number of fungal and bacterial diseases, with average losses estimated at 44,6%, equivalent to 1.152kg (19,2 bags of 60kg) of wheat per hectare. The difficulties in managing these diseases are great, as all control methods have limitations, and with each harvest there are losses in the effectiveness of the chemical pesticides used. Thus, in recent years, interest in alternative management methods has grown. In this context, Spraytec developed the IR Cube, which stands for nutrition, greater natural plant defense and better application quality. High-tech and biodegradable product that acts in the fertilization of flowers, the formation and weight of grains and the transport of carbohydrates, with positive impacts on productivity. Another differentiating characteristic of the product is related to the increased resistance of plants to biotic factors. In response to the application of Cubo IR, defense mechanisms are activated, inducing the plant to synthesize high concentrations of secondary metabolites, which act as physical and chemical barriers, hindering the entry and development of pathogens. The use of cultivars with high genetic potential associated with sustainable development requires innovative products such as Cubo IR.

Goal

To evaluate the effectiveness of the bioactivating nutritional complex Cubo IR in association with conventional fungicides in disease management and wheat productivity.

Material and methods

The experiment was conducted at the experimental station of the Agricultural Research Foundation (Fapa), located in the district of Entre-Rios, Colônia Vitória, municipality of Guarapuava, Paraná. The wheat cultivar ORS 25 was used in the test. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with four replications. The treatments consisted of Control (no application), Fapa Standard (four applications of fungicides with commercial doses) and Fapa + Spraytec Standard (four applications of fungicides associated with Cubo IR 0,30L/ha). Applications were carried out at the tillering, stretching, rubberization and spiking stages, respectively. The volume of spray used was 200L/ha. Efficacy evaluations were carried out in the control of Bacteriosis (Pseudomonas seryngae) and Yellow Spot (Drechslera tritici-repentis) and crop yield. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and the Tukey test (p < 0,05), using the SASM Agri software (Canteri et al..

Results

Cubo IR demonstrated high synergism with fungicides, increasing the effectiveness of controlling wheat diseases. The association of Cubo IR with fungicides reduced the severity by 94,8% for Bacteriosis and 66,7% for Yellow Spot in relation to standard treatment (Figure 1). Increasing the effectiveness of disease control is extremely important so that there is no loss of the crop's productive potential. In this context, in relation to productivity, the harvest in the control was 38,7, in the standard 76,8 and in the standard plus Cubo IR 93,4 bags per hectare. The association of Cubo IR with fungicides promoted an average increase in productivity of 16,6 bags per hectare in relation to the standard treatment (Figure 2). As most chemical fungicides have limitations in control, their association with Cubo IR proved to be an effective tool to ensure better disease management and, consequently, promote greater crop productivity and better wheat quality.

Conclusion

The IR Cube, in addition to nourishing plants aiming for the maximum expression of their productive potential, is a promising alternative in the management of wheat diseases by inducing the plants' natural defense mechanisms, presenting high synergism with conventional fungicides.

Heraldo R. Feksa and Berthold Duhatschek, Agricultural Research Foundation (Fapa)