Ways of managing micronutrients in sugarcane are the subject of an IAC Workshop

The Agronomic Institute (IAC) will hold the Micronutrients in Sugarcane Workshop, on October 06th and 07th, 2021. The objective is to disseminate knowledge about the appropriate management of micronutrients in all sugarcane producing regions from Brazil. Research conducted by IAC, from the São Paulo Department of Agriculture and Supply, highlighted the use of micronutrients in sugarcane farming over the last six years. Another element that shed light on this resource is the fact that new sugarcane varieties are more demanding in nutrients in general and also in micronutrients. This greater requirement is due to the higher productivity of these new materials. The event will be online and interested parties can register for free using the link available here.

The event will bring together the main experts in the field, with presentations on recent research and study results. The Workshop is aimed at professionals from sugar and alcohol plants, sugarcane suppliers, producers, technicians from companies and cooperatives, consultants, agronomists, agricultural technicians, teachers, researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students.

According to IAC researcher Estêvão Vicari Mellis, over the last few years micronutrients have gained the attention of sugarcane growers, researchers and industry. "There was an expansion of the crop to regions with sandy soils and research into nutrition and fertilization with micronutrients started to show very positive results. However, on the part of producers, there are still doubts about the management and efficiency of micronutrients, which may be limiting the productivity of sugarcane fields", he says.

According to IAC researcher Raffaella Rossetto, micronutrients can also participate in calculations of greenhouse gas emissions. This topic will be addressed in the lecture "Renovabio and its challenges for sugarcane soil management". IAC researcher Heitor Cantarella will present his recent studies on sugarcane fertilization and greenhouse gas emissions.

The researcher comments that micronutrients help to increase productivity and automatically help to score better on Renovacalc, a tool that calculates the carbon intensity of a biofuel by comparing it to that of the equivalent fossil fuel.

The use of micronutrients in pre-ripening, which helps the sugarcane crop to have a better balance within its metabolism, including the sugar production and sugar accumulation part in the sugarcane, will be discussed by professor Carlos Crusciol, from Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). The main differences between the sources of micronutrients used in fertilizer and how they should be applied will be the subject of the presentation by Professor Rafael Otto, from the "Luiz de Queiroz" School of Agriculture (ESALQ).

The dynamics of micronutrients in the soil and which are the most soluble sources will be the content of the presentation by researcher Valter Casarin, from the company Nutrição de Plantas, Ciência e Tecnologia (NPCT). On October 7th, he will address the behavior of micronutrients in soils cultivated with sugarcane and what should be taken into account by sugarcane farmers when managing micronutrients in crops.

According to Raffaella, in the Northeast region, where the soils are poorer in organic matter, the use of micronutrients is very important for productivity. There, however, fertilization with these inputs has particularities, including fertigation. This will be the subject of the speech by the researcher from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Emídio Cantídio de Oliveira, who will address the recommendations for micronutrient management for sugarcane fields in the Northeast.

The event will end with lectures by IAC researchers, Estêvão Vicari Mellis and José Antonio Quaggio. Mellis will present his 16 years of studies in the Center-South region of Brazil. "I will address the scientific results, indicate the best responses to fertilizing micronutrients via soil or foliar and recommend to producers what are the sustainable ways of applying each of the micronutrients", he comments.

Quaggio will present the new fertilizer recommendations for sugarcane cultivation and ways to manage micronutrients in the Center-South region of Brazil.

Service: Workshop Micronutrients in sugarcane

Order date: 6 and 7 October 2021

Open Hours: from 9h to 12h30

Email: estevao.mellis@sp.gov.br

Registration fee:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3265107947613010700