RS expands Asian rust monitoring network

New equipment Rio Grande do Sul will have 95 collectors installed in 95 municipalities for the detection and monitoring of Asian soybean rust in the 2025/2026 harvest. This number results from the incorporation of 20 new devices to the 75 already used in the previous harvest.

The collectors and spore capture blades were purchased by the Department of Plant Protection of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation (DDV/Seapi). Maintenance is performed weekly by Emater/RS extension agents, who replace the blades and send the material for analysis.

The expansion was made official during the Asian Rust Meeting, held in Santa Cruz do Sul on September 30th and October 1st.

Strategic tool for the producer

According to DDV director Ricardo Felicetti, the expansion of the network increases spatial coverage and data quality.

"The program is a producer's ally. By comparing the number of spores detected with weather conditions, it's possible to more accurately determine the need for fungicide application, avoiding unnecessary spraying," he explained.

Agricultural engineer Elder Dal Prá, state coordinator of Plant Health Protection at Emater, reinforced the program's scope:

"The information benefits both family farmers and large producers. This universality is one of the initiative's strengths," he said.

In addition to supporting management, the program contributes to rationalizing the use of fungicides, ensuring greater product efficiency and better disease control.

Harvest results and forecast

During the event, the results of Technical Circular No. 29 – RS Rust Monitoring Program, referring to the 2024/2025 harvest, were presented. The analysis was conducted by researcher Andréia Mara Rotta de Oliveira, from the Department of Agricultural Diagnosis and Research (DDPA/Seapi).

The climate forecast for the 2025/2026 harvest was also released, presented by Flávio Varone, from Simagro/Seapi.

Official monitoring of the new harvest begins on October 6, right after the soybean health break ends on September 30 — a measure considered essential to reduce the survival of the fungus. Phakopsora pachyrhizi between harvests.

Rust Monitor Program

Developed by Seapi and Emater, in partnership with research institutions, the Rust Monitor assesses the presence of spores in different regions of the state and cross-references the data with climate variables. The results are published weekly in maps and reports on the official website, allowing producers to monitor the disease pressure in their region.