Agrodefesa acts to prevent the entry of Amaranthus palmeri into Goiás

The Goiana Agricultural Defense Agency (Agrodefesa) has intensified its work on health education and agricultural inspection to prevent the entry of Amaranthus palmeri, popularly known as caruru-palmeri or caruru-gigante, in Goiás. The intention is to provide guidance to rural producers and redouble attention throughout the State, since the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) announced last Friday (07/03) the detection of the pest in the municipality of Guiratinga, in Mato Grosso, close to the border with the state of Goiás.

Amaranthus palmeri It is considered an aggressive weed, which can cause great losses in the productive potential of the crop where it spreads. As it is extremely resistant to conventional herbicides, it develops quickly and can reach heights of over two meters.

When in competition with a crop, throughout its development cycle, it can cause productivity losses in corn of over 91%; 79% in soybeans; and 77% in cotton, according to research published in the area.

To date, there has been no record of the quarantine pest in Goiás soil, despite detection in states that border Goiás, such as Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.

Since 2015, when its appearance in Mato Grosso crops was recorded, Agrodefesa has adopted as part of its activities the carrying out of phytosanitary inspections on crops, mainly in areas cultivated with large crops such as soybeans, beans, corn and cotton.

Agrodefesa's Plant Health Manager, Daniela Rézio, explains that to strengthen actions and attest that Amaranthus palmeri Do not enter Goiás territory, the Agency's state agricultural inspectors are vigilant, especially in relation to the transit of agricultural machinery and implements from the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.

“In the event of interception of these machines, the focus is to assess the hygiene conditions, since tractors, harvesters and other agricultural implements, without proper cleaning or with soil or plant residues, can spread the pest”, he adds.

It also reinforces the role of producers in properly sanitizing machinery and implements that are received in the state, as well as circulation between properties, to avoid the introduction of quarantine and economically important pests.

At the time the first specimens of Amaranthus palmeri In Brazil, studies have shown that its introduction was made possible by the loan of machinery from Argentina, a country that, along with the United States, is one of the main affected by its presence in crops.

Amaranthus palmeri It is easily disseminated, which occurs through the production of large volumes of seeds. Scientific research has found that a plant, during the flowering period, can produce between 100 and 1 million seeds.

Therefore, in states where the pest is present, it is recommended that plants in the flowering stage be incinerated after being uprooted within the parameters. Plants that are not in this stage should be eliminated only by extracting and discarding them.