Map will monitor the occurrence of corn stunting

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) is working on mapping the occurrence of corn stunting in the main states producing the crop. The objective of monitoring is to allow for adequate diagnosis and sizing to support possible measures to reduce or avoid losses caused by the disease in corn crops throughout the country. 

The losses caused by diseases related to the “stunting complex” have generated great concern for producers in recent harvests, due to the increased occurrence of symptoms related to these diseases, which have also been observed by researchers from different research institutions in the country. 

According to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), these diseases are caused by microorganisms called mollicutes, which systemically invade and multiply in the phloem tissues of the corn plant and are transmitted from sick plants to healthy plants, by the leafhopper Dalbulus maidis. 

The actions are being discussed and planned in partnership with representatives of state agricultural defense agencies and research institutions involved in the topic. In Paraná, the state responsible for around 15% of national corn production, Adapar has been monitoring the disease in the main regions, during the 20/21 Harvest. 

Mapa's Agricultural Defense Secretariat advises that corn producers who identify symptoms of diseases in their crops should contact state agricultural defense agencies in their respective states, to provide information and collaborate with the monitoring that will be carried out in other states. regions of the country from March onwards. 

Identification of diseases in crops 

For information on the identification of diseases in crops and on the most appropriate management to minimize the impacts generated by corn stunting, researchers from Embrapa Milho e Sorgo prepared a booklet on Leafhopper Management and Stunting in Corn Crop in a joint effort between research institutions, agricultural defense and the productive segment of the state of Paraná.