Embrapa sesame cultivars generate R$52,9 million for Brazilian producers

For every real invested by the Federal Government, Embrapa returned R$17,77 to society, obtaining a social profit of R$61,85 billion, according to the company's Social Report, published at the end of April. The value is obtained from the calculation of the economic impact of a sample of just 152 technologies adopted by Brazilian agribusiness and 220 cultivars developed by the Company. Last year, the Company generated a social profit of R$61,85 billion. 

Among the champions of economic impact are the sesame cultivars developed by Embrapa Algodão, BRS Seda, BRS Anahí and BRS Morena. Together, these cultivars generated an economic impact of R$52,9 million for Brazilian producers. The sesame cultivars from Embrapa's breeding program for this crop have generated technological solutions to meet the demands of the domestic and foreign markets, with high yields for the producer. 

In recent harvests, researchers have dedicated themselves to obtaining cultivars adapted to large-scale cultivation, as another income option for Cerrado producers. 

“In recent years, sesame cultivation has become an excellent business opportunity and, therefore, has demanded essential technological innovations for managing the culture in large-scale conditions, especially the development of highly productive cultivars adapted to different environments, as is happening today in the Central-West region”, says the head of Research and Development at Embrapa Algodão, Nair Arriel. 

She highlights that, in addition to developing cultivars, it is important to improve the entire crop production system for large-scale cultivation conditions. “In addition to these highly productive cultivars, we have worked closely together to improve the production system, combining modern mechanized cultivation techniques, the development of crop rotation technologies and practices, phytosanitary management of weeds, the definition of the best times for sowing, determining nutritional needs and harvesting practices”, lists the researcher.  

“All the work on the genetic improvement program is to allow us to not only expand production, but above all, improve the quality of the product and create the conditions to compete in the most demanding world markets where sesame is now booming” , he adds. 

Other highlights 

Also highlighted in Embrapa's social report were the long fiber cotton cultivar BRS 433 FL B2RF and the adoption of technological solutions such as the ginning machine and small baling press for cotton processing, soil cover plants for direct sowing of cotton plantation in the Brazilian Cerrado.