Intense rains cause damage and losses to crops in RS

The heavy rains that hit much of Rio Grande do Sul in recent days caused damage to some wheat crops that are in the flowering and beginning of grain formation phases, mainly due to lodging in certain areas and the fall of the plants' flowers, according to Emater/RS.

The extent of the damage and the possible impact on productivity have not yet been accurately assessed, making it necessary to improve environmental conditions to wait for the crops to react after the weather phenomenon, which will allow assessment inspections to be carried out.

At the moment, the main reproductive phase of wheat is flowering, which affects 49% of crops. Part of the crops, located in the northwest of the state, have reached maturity. The cultivated area in the 2023 Harvest is estimated at 1.505.704 hectares, and the expected productivity is 3.021 kg/ha.

For the technical director of Emater/RS, Claudinei Baldissera, the most important thing at this moment is saving lives. “There are many people to be helped and helped and this is the priority. Only then will we count the losses in agriculture and livestock, as many herds are also suffering from flooding caused by floods”, she assesses.

White oats

The white oat cultivation area in the 2023 harvest is 365.081 hectares, and productivity is estimated at 2.340 kg/ha. The crops maintain good productive potential. However, the heavy rains, which occurred after 01/09, caused the lodging of plants in crops in the formation and grain filling phase, due to the increase in the weight of the panicles, caused by water accumulated in the structures that surround them.

Canola

The estimated canola cultivation area is 67.219 hectares, and productivity is estimated at 1.632 kg/ha. The dry weather until 31/08 contributed to the good development of crops and an expansion in harvesting. In general, the crops present good appearance and development. However, there are concerns among producers due to the torrential rains and winds, which may have caused damage, causing flowers to fall in flowering crops and grains to fall in crops in the final stages of maturation. However, it has not yet been possible to assess the extent of this damage.

Barley

The projection of barley cultivation is 35.899 hectares, and the expected productivity is 3.144 kg/ha. In the administrative region of Emater/RS of Erechim, there is the largest barley cultivation area in the State, linked to breweries through commercial contracts. At the moment, the crop has optimal conditions, and all crops are in the flowering stage. In Ijuí, the productive potential of crops is still positive, despite small isolated beds caused by rain. From a phenological point of view, 30% of the crops are in vegetative development, 50% in the flowering phase and 20% in the grain filling phase.

Situation of summer crops

The sowing of summer crops for the 2023/2024 Harvest showed significant progress, due to the dry weather, until August 31st. However, intense rainfall, which began last Friday (01/09), caused erosion in corn crops where soil preparation followed the conventional method or where vegetation cover was insufficient to mitigate the impact of raindrops. .

This scenario resulted in considerable surface runoff and the formation of furrows, which transported fertilizers to lower areas, including rivers; the extent of the damage has not yet been assessed. Furthermore, some corn crops that were recently established and had not yet emerged may face surface sealing problems due to heavy rains.

The arrival of a cold front with high volumes of rain postponed the start of rice planting work in most municipalities, where better weather conditions are expected in the coming days. The Rio-Grandense Rice Institute (Irga) projects a cultivation area of ​​902.425 hectares. Emater/RS estimates productivity of 8.359 kg/ha, resulting in production of 7.543.137 tons for the 2023/2024 Harvest.

For the new 1st harvest of beans, a projected cultivation area of ​​29.053 hectares. The productivity estimate is 1.775 kg/ha, resulting in production of 51.555 tons. The crop is at the beginning of sowing. In the administrative region of Emater/RS of Caxias do Sul, the estimated cultivation for the next harvest is 2.327 kg/ha on 12.057 hectares, culminating in production of 28.057 tons. In Pelotas, 1.382 hectares are projected, with a predicted productivity of 1.111 kg/ha, totaling 1.535 tons. The preferred cultivar for cultivation is black beans. Producers have reported difficulties in obtaining high-quality seeds, since only grains sold as seeds are available on the market. The farming areas have already been selected, and soil preparation has begun with the aim of planting beans during September, a time considered ideal for implementing crops in the region.