Emater-RS signs partnership to start testing bioinputs in watermelon production

This week, a technical meeting between rural extension workers from Rio Grande do Sul decided to begin testing bio-inputs in watermelon production. The initiative will be carried out by Emater-RS with support from the City Hall of Arroio dos Ratos (RS), where the meeting took place.

Despite being part of the diet of the Brazilian population, agricultural pesticides are still used and end up leaving residues in the watermelon. For Jamir Fortunato Dalenogare, rural extension agent at Emater-RS in Arroio dos Ratos, the objective of the tests is to increase guarantees so that there is no residual load on the crop.

The experiment will be carried out in an area of ​​1,4 hectares in Arroio dos Ratos, with the collaboration of partnerships. The site was donated by a rural landowner and the inputs that will be used for fertilization were also donated, as well as other bio-inputs.

The support of the Municipal Government was signed through a technical cooperation agreement for the provision of agricultural patrol machines to carry out soil preparation and cultural treatments. The initiative foresees the use only of biological products, without the use of agrochemical products. “We believe that bio-inputs, even if they are not capable of completely replacing chemical products, can be efficient in considerably reducing the waste they leave behind”, concludes Dalenogare.