Map updates National Asian Soybean Rust Control Program

Ordinance No. 865 was published, reviewing and updating the procedures provided for in the National Program for the Control of Asian Soybean Rust (PNCFS), which aims to strengthen the soybean agricultural production system, bringing together strategic plant health defense actions with research support agriculture and technical assistance in pest prevention and control.

The new regulation aims to promote adjustments in the program's governance model, giving the Agricultural Defense Secretariat of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) greater autonomy in establishing disease prevention and control measures, as the Central and Superior Body of the System. Unified Agricultural Health Care Unit (Suasa).

Asian rust is caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi and considered one of the most severe that affect soybean crops, and can occur at any phenological stage. In the various geographic regions where the disease has been reported at epidemic levels, damage varies from 10% to 90% of production.

“To adequately control the disease and mitigate the potential damage it can cause to the soybean production chain, several aspects must be considered, including measures to reduce the fungus inoculum and the management of fungicide resistance. Considering that soy is cultivated in most Brazilian states, the official measures established must cover the results that are intended to be achieved at a national level”, explains the general coordinator of Plant Protection, Graciane Castro.

Among the phytosanitary measures provided for in the PNCFS: sanitary void, is defined as a continuous period of at least 90 days during which it is not possible to sow or maintain live plants of a plant species in a given area, aiming to reduce the inoculum of diseases or population of a given pest. The soybean sowing calendar is recommended by scientific research as a measure aimed at rationalizing the number of fungicide applications and the consequent reduction of the risks of developing resistance to the fungus that causes the disease.

As with other official pest prevention and control programs, regional particularities can be considered, according to the exceptionalities provided for in the normative act, without, however, compromising the sustainability of the production chain as a whole.

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