Soil conditioner helps root development

Data from the National Supply Company (Conab) estimates that the total sugarcane harvest in Brazil in 2019/20 will be 642 million tons, compared to 620 million tons in 2018/19, citing favorable weather conditions as the main factor.

Soil conditions when planting sugarcane have become a recurring topic among specialists in the field, since the productive result is directly related to soil quality.

The use of soil conditioners – such as Longevus Planta from Fertiláqua, which contains organic acids, amino acids and nutrients in its composition – contributes to an improvement in soil quality.

“A soil that is balanced in physical, chemical and biological composition, without compaction, and in good conditions, can increase sugarcane productivity. However, what we have seen in the sector today is that the vast majority of these soils are not in these circumstances and that is why we need to work with solutions that act on this process”, explains Alan Borges, development manager at Fertiláqua.

Field studies conducted by the company using Longevus Planta showed greater and deeper roots, reaching sizes ranging from 1,70 to 2,10 meters. “In compacted and dense soils, we have found root systems that do not exceed 60 cm”, says Borges.

With smaller roots, the plant has access to less water and nutrients, which will cause problems in its growth. Furthermore, with a superficial root system, at the time of cutting, the sugarcane becomes more susceptible to uprooting, having its roots pulled out by the machine and, consequently, becoming more likely to fail in the sugarcane field. “This means that in the next cut, the producer will not have the same number of plants per hectare, therefore, a smaller quantity of cane and lower productivity. The number of plants per hectare is now lower than desired”, explains the manager.

Longevus Planta helps in root production and soil decompression, providing greater activity of microorganisms, making the plant more productive, better protected from diseases and providing a favorable environment for the development of a deeper root system.