Brazilian cotton production is expected to grow 17,6% and reach 2,94 million tons

Brazil has consolidated itself as the world's second largest exporter of cotton, behind only the United States, according to a survey released by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers (Abrapa). In the 2021/22 harvest, 1,68 million tons of the commodity were exported, generating revenue of US$3,208 billion. Production totaled 2,5 million tons, an increase of 5,8% compared to the previous period. For the 2022/23 harvest, the planted area is expected to increase by 1,3%, totaling 1,657 million hectares, and production is projected at 2,94 million tons, a variation of 17,6%.

According to Vagner Grade, product development consultant at TMG – Tropical Melhoramento & Genética, a Brazilian company providing genetic solutions for cotton, soybeans and corn, these data reinforce the growth of the crop in Brazil due to constant investments in research and innovation. He highlights that the country has stood out for the quality of its cotton fiber, which is positive from a commercial point of view. “This scenario is the result of years of research and development of cultivars increasingly adapted to different climatic conditions, pests and diseases,” he says.

To maintain good crop yields and increase sales, both to the domestic market and to other countries, producers need to acquire specific cultivars for their region and pay attention to the correct management of cultivars. “Cotton needs attention to deliver productivity and fiber quality and the farmer must consider issues such as soil fertility, fertilization and plant nutrition, correct management of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides, monitoring the growth rate for good management of growth regulator and pay attention to the time of final definition of the culture to carry out the 'capping' at the right time.

According to the expert, the objective is to be able to harvest cotton with good quality fiber, a very important requirement for the textile industry. “The HVI (High Volume Instrument) is considered a set of very important characteristics of the final product, but it depends on a series of factors, such as the genetic potential of the cultivar, planting time, average temperature, water availability, interactions between the genotype of the cultivar and environment, appropriate management and maturation process, as well as care when harvesting and ginning the cotton”, he highlights.

Growth regulators

Being a perennial plant with an indeterminate cycle, it is common to use techniques to maintain the balance between the plant's vegetative and reproductive growth in order to explore the maximum productive potential of the cultivars and maintain adequate size for management. For this purpose, growth regulators are used, products developed to maintain crop balance and enhance the production ceiling, facilitating care and the application of nutrients and pesticides.

“To make the best decision for using the regulator, it is necessary to know some points well, such as the vigor of the variety being planted, soil fertility, altitude, climate and region”, reinforces Grade. The specialist emphasizes that “the growth regulator is a productivity conditioner, as it helps to form the plant architecture, an action that favors the efficiency of phytosanitary treatments and increases the rate of attachment and formation of reproductive structures, factors that also influence quality fiber”.

Driving

Grade states that the good results of cotton cultivation depend a lot on the producer. “As you cannot control the climate, it is necessary to take care of other factors, such as eliminating weeds before and during cultivation, controlling pests and diseases, and having a decompacted and nutritionally well-balanced soil profile”, he highlights. According to him, “currently, one of the main diseases that cause damage to crops is ramularia.

“It is a very common disease, which can affect all stages of cotton plant growth, causing damage to the leaves. The disease can reduce fiber quality and compromise the cultivar's productivity by up to 70%. As it is a rapidly transmitted disease, the producer needs to be attentive to prevent the spread of the disease. To achieve this, appropriate management and daily monitoring of the crop are recommended,” he says.

There are specific products on the market to control ramularia, as well as other pests and diseases, but there are also genetic solutions that reduce the need to use these pesticides, making agriculture more sustainable and with positive results for the producer. TMG has RX technology, which has tolerance to this disease, enabling a reduction of 20% to 50% in the number of fungicide applications. “The genetic improvement work has enabled the development of cultivars that make management more sustainable, due to the reduction in pesticide applications. As a result, the producer can count on more safety, greater productivity and fiber quality”, he concludes.