CESB highlights that soybean farmers are more concerned about carrying out integrated disease management

The use of various management tactics aimed at disease control is a reality in soybean cultivation and adds several benefits to the production system, such as association between the cultivar cycle and sowing date, promoting less exposure of plants to rust, and application of products of biological origin in the off-season, aiming to reduce the inoculum of root pathogens. 

This analysis above is by agronomist Ricardo Balardin, founding member of the Brazilian Soy Strategic Committee (CESB), master in Phytopathology and PhD in Plant Pathology from Michigan State University. 

Balardin adds that, in this context, there are other points to be observed, such as, for example, seed treatment and activators. "There is greater use of the seed treatment technique with mixtures of chemical and biological products, aiming not only to control pathogens in the seed, but also to prevent attacks by nematodes already present in the soil. In relation to activators, I have observed greater use of defense activators and also for the physiological performance of the plant", he highlights. 

"In general, we can say that soybean farmers are more concerned about carrying out integrated disease management, as they are more aware of the limitations of strategies if used in isolation, especially fungicides whose effectiveness has been shown to be progressively reduced. The adoption of different strategies in an integrated manner is, therefore, an excellent option to increase the possibility of greater control efficiency", adds the founding member of the Soja Brasil Strategic Committee. 

High Productivity

Balardin notes that there is a clear association between integrated disease management and increased productivity. "As multidisciplinary tactics are adopted, the physiological activities of the plant end up being more efficiently preserved, guaranteeing its maximum productive performance. In the essence of control, if multiple strategies are not used, not only will productivity not be privileged, but the The longevity of control tactics will be further compromised", he points out. 

"It is worth highlighting, however, that the increase in the use of new products does not imply an increase in effectiveness. There must be an increase in the understanding that high-performance farming must prioritize the increase in the protection of plants subjected to maximum activity systems physiological", he concludes.

CESB is made up of 19 members and 26 sponsoring entities: BASF, BAYER, SYNGENTA, JACTO, Atto Sementes, Brasmax, Corteva, Eurochem FTO, Ferticel, ICL, Koppert, Massey Ferguson, Mosaic, Stara, Stoller, Sumitomo Chemical, Superbac, Timac Agro, TMF, Ubyfol, UPL, Yara, Yoorin, Elevagro, IBRA and Somar Serviços Agro.

Registration for the 15th National Soybean Maximum Productivity Challenge is open until January 31, 2023. More information and registration: www.cesbrasil.org.br and official CESB social networks.