Application technology helps increase soybean productivity

Some younger people may not remember, but 18 years ago Brazil's flagship agricultural exports were seriously threatened due to the arrival of Asian rust. The disease decimated crops and, today, the country is among the largest exporters of grain in the world, it is thanks to application technology. With its introduction, soybean productivity per area grew from 2,75 tons per hectare, in 2000, to 3,26 tons per hectare, in 2020, an increase of almost 19%.

The data was extracted from the historical series compiled by the National Supply Company (Conab). And another achievement came with the record of a record harvest of around 120 million tons in the 2019/2020 harvest. For the 2020/2021 harvest, expectations exceed 130 million tons.

“Although the application technology has existed for more than 40 years, it became recognized in 2002, when Asian rust caused enormous damage to crops. Since then, it has been a solution for controlling pests and diseases”, recalls professor Marco Antônio Gandolfo, one of the founders of the Dashen Institute, located in Bandeirantes (PR).

According to Gandolfo, the concept was born in England in 1986 through the work of professor Graham Matthews. In Brazil, the first to study was Tomomassa Matuo, a researcher at Unesp in Jaboticabal (SP), four years later. Today, it is a reality in all major agricultural crops.

“Application technology is the use of all information, products and techniques that involve the application of agrochemicals to control harmful agents, at the lowest possible cost and contamination”, defines the founder of the Dashen Institute. The aforementioned application occurs via spraying.

In this way, cultivar, plant stage, pest, disease, product, climate, temperature, air humidity, wind condition, product volatility, spray compatibility, maintenance and adjustment of sprayers have become metrics of productive efficiency.

How to improve spraying efficiency  

There are two sources of losses in spraying, one related to environmental factors and the other to agronomic factors. This last group refers to the deposit of products in the plant. The more they reach the leaves, the more effective the treatment will be. Rain, wind, relative humidity and temperature are environmental factors.

“Washing by rain can compromise spraying efficiency by 100% and, today, there are surfactants that allow agrochemicals to be absorbed in up to 15 minutes by plants”, informs Lucas Rafael Maesta Dias, specialist in Application Technology at Oro Agri.

These adjuvants play an important role even in situations of higher temperatures, reducing the exposure of assets, and consequently, reducing losses caused by evaporation.

According to him, the use of products known to be made from orange peel essential oil (WETCIT) provides certain flexibility and greater security to manage this situation. Furthermore, spraying should always take place during the coolest hours of the day - morning or late afternoon.

“Low temperatures reduce plant metabolism, making it difficult to absorb products. High temperatures favor evaporation of the drops and can cause phytotoxicity”, informs the specialist.

A minimum of 55% humidity and winds between 3 and 10 km/h are also essential to avoid spray droplets drifting

Tips to improve spraying results

1 - It is important to follow the correct order of products when preparing the syrup and pre-mix in some cases. It is still necessary to use a good surfactant to ensure optimal homogenization.

2 - Each agrochemical application requires a droplet volumetric median diameter (DMV). “The main characteristics that influence droplet size are related to the physical attributes of the syrup, such as viscosity and surface tension”, points out Professor Gandolfo. See the table.

3 – The application rate refers to the amount of mixture sprayed per hectare. If the intention is to apply 100 liters per hectare, for example, the equipment must be calibrated to spray 100 liters over 10.000 m². The rate must be adjusted according to the flow speed, the distance between the nozzles on the bar and the type of tip.

4 – Change the tips depending on the product applied. It doesn't take more than 5 minutes to do this. The necessary pressure adjustment is stated in the manufacturer's manual. Above the ideal it can generate drift, below it can cause product runoff through the leaves.

5 – The distance between the tips also determines the height of the spray bar. If the distance between one and the other is 50 cm, for example, the height between the bar and the crop must be the same 50 cm. Too high favors drift, too close, runoff.

6 – Maintenance: On average, ceramic tips last 400 hours and nylon tips last 200 hours. Filters must be checked immediately after using syrups that are difficult to dissolve. Keep an eye on machines with a poor agitation system because they allow the products to separate in the tank or hydraulic circuit, varying the dose applied to the crop.

7 – Always use a good adjuvant. These are proven products that reduce losses and enhance the effectiveness of all products applied.

8 – Seek better results through reliable technical assistance. The OROTECH360 Program – Oro Agri's High Performance Application Technology, for example, was developed to provide specialized guidance to all producers.

*The choice of tip may vary depending on the agronomist's strategy and the risk of clogging. Source: OROTECH360 Program.