Agricultural Defense of Goiás announces new measures to prevent and control Asian soybean rust

The Goiana Agricultural Defense Agency (Agrodefesa) published this week Normative Instruction No. 06/2024, which brings new phytosanitary measures aimed at preventing and controlling pests for soybean crops, with main attention to Asian rust, caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi. The changes are aligned with the National Program for the Control of Asian Soybean Rust (PNCFS) within the scope of the Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa) and are related to the period and concept of the sowing calendar for the 2024/2025 harvest, as well as exceptionalities of cultivation during the sanitary void period.

The regulations extend the sowing calendar for the 2024/2025 harvest, which begins on September 25, 2024 and now extends until January 02, 2025. “This change follows the period defined by the Ministry of Agriculture, which establishes, in an ordinance , the sowing calendar periods and sanitary void for all Federation Units”, explains the president of Agrodefesa, José Ricardo Caixeta Ramos.

Furthermore, it changes the concept of the sowing calendar as the starting date being the date from which the presence of seedlings emerging in the field is permitted. The end date is considered the last day on which soybean sowing in the field is permitted. The seedling is an agronomic designation for the already developed plant embryo that emerges from the seed, generally consisting of a radicle (embryonic root), hypocotyl (embryonic shoot) and cotyledons (embryonic seed leaves).

“Another novelty is that Agrodefesa is also preparing a module in the Agricultural Defense System, Sidago, which allows computerized communication of the occurrence of Asian rust in crops or volunteer soybean plants”, points out the Plant Health manager at Agrodefesa, Daniela Rézio. “This module will soon be available to the public and will be an important tool for alerting producers to the arrival of Asian rust in a region, so that they can adopt measures to control the pest.”

The manager also remembers that the Normative Instruction maintains the mandatory electronic registration of soybean crops in Sidago within a maximum of 15 days after the end of the sowing calendar. “This measure is important so that Agrodefesa inspectors can identify crops and guide producers regarding the legislative measures to be adopted to prevent and control Asian rust, develop health education actions, as well as respond effectively if any are found. suspected quarantine pests in the crop, such as Amaranthus palmeri, for example”, he adds.

Sanitary Void

The sanitary void is the defined and continuous period in which it is prohibited to cultivate, maintain or allow, at any vegetative or reproductive stage, live emerging soybean plants in a given area, with a view to reducing the fungus inoculum Phakopsora pachyrhizi, which causes Asian soybean rust.

In Goiás, the sanitary void period has not changed and continues from June 27th to September 24th. When sowing or maintaining soybean crops during the established period, Agrodefesa will determine the destruction of the crop, in addition to other penalties provided for in the legislation.

IN nº 06/2024 also brings news regarding exceptional crops, in which the sowing and maintenance of live plants are allowed within the period of sanitary void. Until then, only cultivation in a protected environment or in the Luiz Alves do Araguaia public irrigation project were considered exceptions. With the update, they are now also permitted in cases of cultivation intended for scientific research and those intended for demonstrating cultivars and technologies at events and agricultural fairs. In the public irrigation project of Luiz Alves do Araguaia, sowing is permitted, with authorization from Agrodefesa, only between May 20th and June 20th.

“The sowing of soybean seeds treated with pesticides not sold by the seed producer may also be authorized, exceptionally by Agrodefesa, after the sowing calendar, with mandatory destruction up to 30 days after the emergency”, adds the coordinator of Phytosanitary Programs of Large Crops of Agrodefesa, Mário Sérgio de Oliveira.

Requests regarding exceptions must be filed with Agrodefesa, signed by the producer, technical manager or representatives of the research institution at least 30 days in advance of the sowing date, accompanied by the required documentation.