Corteva and TMG launch protection for the cotton market with WideStrike 3

Corteva Agriscience and Tropical Melhoramento & Genética (TMG) present the WideStrike 3 technology to the cotton market, which offers protection in the control of the main caterpillars that attack the crop, causing major damage to productivity and economic losses to the sector. Cotton is one of the main crops for Brazilian agriculture, the country is the fifth largest producer and second largest exporter of the fiber in the world.

“With this partnership, Corteva and TMG combine their expertise in technology, innovation and genetics to contribute to the sustainable growth of cotton farming. Advances in pest control and more productive cultivars have been decisive in conquering the national and international cotton markets and WideStrike 3 meets this need”, says Lucas Silveira, leader of Corteva's Cotton Portfolio.

WideStrike 3 biotechnology contains the Cry1F, Cry1Ac and Vip3A proteins from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, also known as Bt. Proteins act in all plant tissues and throughout the crop cycle, offering greater protection and longevity for cotton and, consequently, greater productivity and profitability for cotton farmers. The technology, licensed to TMG in Brazil, is present in varieties with high production potential and fiber quality. TMG cotton occupies more than 1/3 of the area planted with the crop in Brazil.

Francisco Soares, CEO of TMG, highlights that the company's focus has always been and continues to be developing cultivars that go beyond productivity. “The partnership with Corteva is related to our DNA of innovation, for us it is very important to anticipate and serve the producer with the best that technology offers and also improve the market competitiveness of our seed multipliers”. The executive adds that the two launches of the 2020/21 harvest, with WideStrike 3 technology, add robustness to TMG's portfolio, which meets both the requirements of the national market and the feather export market.

The TMG 50WS3 cultivar's strengths include precocity, high productive potential, tolerance to ramularia and excellent fiber quality. TMG 91WS3 is also a cultivar with a high production ceiling, highlighting its wide adaptability, excellent initial start and high boll weight. “In addition to Mato Grosso and Bahia, the two cultivars are recommended for Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Maranhão, Piauí, Minas Gerais and São Paulo”, points out Soares.

WideStrike 3 technology works to control a wide variety of important caterpillars, including the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Helicoverpa caterpillar (Helicoverpa armigera), Apple caterpillar (Heliothis virescens), Black caterpillar (Spodoptera cosmioides), European bollworm (Chrysodeixis includens), Pod caterpillar (Spodoptera eridania), Cotton leafworm (Alabama argillacea) and Pink cotton bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella).

To ensure the longevity of the technology and preserve it as a useful tool for protecting cotton crops in the coming years, the companies have an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan that encompasses several actions, such as weed and volunteer control, use of sanitary void, early desiccation, use of certified seeds, seed treatment and refuge. These actions together must be carried out for increasingly sustainable production.