Agricultural Defense of Tocantins presents monitoring results of the corn stunting complex

The Agricultural Defense Agency (Adapec) presented the institutions of the Corn Disease Health Committee, of which it is part, the result of monitoring the corn stunting complex carried out between the months of February and May, this year, in 583 properties in the State, in a total of 192 thousand hectares. The analysis aims to plan actions to prevent leafhoppers, one of the main crop pests, responsible for stunting.

The president of Adapec, Paulo Lima, stated that the meeting is a way of advancing debates to generate positive results. “We believe that with the support and knowledge of partner bodies we have achieved the proposal, which is to avoid and minimize socioeconomic losses. We are already drawing up a more detailed x-ray together to propose more effective actions”, he emphasized.     

The study shows the presence of leafhoppers in 34% of the monitored properties and the apparent manifestation of corn stunting in 7,2%. “Corn is the second most produced crop in the State, we know that the disease has a great potential to cause damage, which is why we are debating to plan joint actions seeking to prevent and avoid the evolution of the pest”, reported the technical responsible for the State Program for Great Cultures of Adapec, Marco Aurélio Vaz.

Embrapa researcher, Daniel Fragoso, congratulated Adapec's initiative and assessed that more dynamic radiography is needed throughout the year during the crop's two harvests. “We will collaborate to increase this work that aims to reduce the damage caused by corn stunting”, he pointed out.

Tocantins registered 334.030 hectares of harvest corn cultivated, according to data from the National Supply Company (Conab)

ParticipantsAmong the participants were representatives of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (Seagro); the Institute of Rural Development of the State of Tocantins (Ruraltins); of the Agriculture and Livestock Federation (Faet) and Embrapa

Corn leafhopper

The corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis) is the insect vector of the stunt complex (Molicutes class bacteria) that can cause significant damage to corn crops, reducing grain productivity and quality.

According to information from Embrapa, the leafhopper D. maidis is an insect with a straw-white color, which may be slightly grayish, measuring about 0,5 cm, which feeds on the sap of the corn plant and lays eggs under the epidermis of the leaf, preferably in the central vein of the cartridge leaves. of the seedling. Infection with mollicutes occurs in corn seedlings at early stages of development. These pathogenic microorganisms proliferate in the phloem tissues and the plant only shows stunting symptoms during the production phase. This mollicute vector insect survives only in corn and usually migrates from crops with adult plants to crops with newly emerged seedlings.