Copasem aims to advance seed health in Brazil

The new management of the Seed Pathology Committee (Copasem), linked to the Brazilian Seed Technology Association (Abrates), begins its work with a clear mission: to strengthen the health of seeds produced in Brazil. Faced with technical, structural and regulatory challenges, the committee focuses on professional training, standardization of methodologies and integration of the different links in the sector.

The committee is headed by coordinator Norimar D´Ávila Denardin, managing partner and researcher at the Center for Biotechnology in Agriculture (Cebtecagro), and vice-coordinator Carla Corrêa, CEO of CLC AgroCapacitação. With a focus on innovation and technical coordination, they will lead strategic actions aimed at producing healthier and safer seeds, essential for granting sustainability to national agriculture.

"We need to ensure quality from the laboratory to the field," says Norimar Denardin. According to her, one of the priorities of the new management is to create a network for standardization and validation of phytopathological analyses, involving universities and public and private research institutions.

The sector's main bottlenecks include the shortage of specialized professionals, limited infrastructure resources and the lack of standardized diagnostic methodologies. Norimar also points out that there is a major shortage of well-equipped laboratories and personnel trained to operate modern technologies and interpret complex results, especially in regions far from major centers.

She highlights that advanced techniques – such as those based on molecular biology, such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, hybridization, isothermal techniques, such as Lamp (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification) and Elisa – require significant investments in equipment, reagents and infrastructure, which makes their adoption on a large national scale difficult. 

Furthermore, there is a shortage of technicians capable of operating these technologies and interpreting the results accurately. This deficit limits the performance of complex analyses and compromises the response to the diversity of pathogens present in the country. "The diversity of pathogens requires sensitive, fast and accurate methodologies. However, their implementation has faced technical and financial barriers, in addition to ongoing training of active teams," he emphasizes.

Vice-coordinator Carla Corrêa also highlights the importance of overcoming resistance to the adoption of new methodologies: "We will work in partnership with development agencies and public and private institutions to guarantee access to technology, professional training and dissemination of knowledge", she states.

In practical terms, Copasem aims to support integrated pathogen control strategies, promoting the appropriate use of chemical, biological and physical treatments, in addition to encouraging the development of more effective and safer biocontrol agents. According to the coordinators, these solutions require greater investment in research and technical training on the part of end users.

Currently, Brazil has official laboratories, such as those of Lunagro, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the Biological Institute of São Paulo, in addition to approximately 190 laboratories accredited by Mapa as of September 2023. "However, not all of them are active or qualified for phytosanitary diagnosis. There are also laboratories linked to universities and public and private research institutions, but the total number is still imprecise", notes Carla.

"The situation highlights the urgency of incentives for the maintenance and expansion of these essential services", reinforces Norimar Denardin.

The committee intends to intensify dialogue with regulatory bodies and representative entities, such as the Brazilian Seed and Seedling Association (Abrasem) and state associations. The strategy also includes expanding the offering of courses, workshops and symposia, in addition to encouraging the publication of scientific articles in journals such as the Journal of Seed Science and Informativo Abrates. "Our goal is to update and disseminate technical and scientific knowledge on seed pathology, in addition to connecting Brazil to international experiences that can strengthen us," says Carla.

The new management's main goal is to consolidate Copasem as a national and international reference in seed health.

"Overcoming these challenges requires a collaborative effort between research institutions, government agencies, the production sector and laboratories, with investments in research, infrastructure, training and public policies focused on the area. The impact will be direct on agricultural productivity, food security and Brazil's competitiveness in the global market", concludes Norimar Denardin.