Weather conditions and biotechnology can increase cotton productivity by up to 20%

The high prices of cotton on the foreign market, the dollar at a high level and the more favorable weather conditions for cultivation in Brazil in 2022 indicate a recovery in Brazilian cotton farming this season. As a result, the latest projection from the National Supply Company (Conab) is a 15% increase in plume production in relation to the 2020/2021 season, with a harvest of 2,71 million tons.

For producer Victor Griesang from Sementes Tropical, who grows soy, corn and cotton in the Serra da Petrovina region, southern Mato Grosso, everything indicates that the current harvest should generate better results than in 2021. “If it rains in May and April, we will have high production ceilings and we hope to reach 400 arrobas of cotton per hectare, a result we had about two years ago. Cotton has the potential to bring a lot of results and we could see growth of up to 20% compared to the previous year”, he says.

The group, which began growing cotton in 1999, invests in planting a second crop, after the soybean harvest. The practice guarantees greater economic sustainability, as it allows production in a shorter period on the farm, in addition to agronomic gains in soil fertility, as soy contributes to nitrogen fixation, enriching the nutrients available for the following crop. In 2022, Sementes Tropical found a good soybean planting window and is growing cotton on 2.000 hectares, an area 60% larger than last year.

“Cotton cultivation is high risk, very susceptible to climatic and macroeconomic factors, and requires high investment. In Mato Grosso, because we have favorable climatic conditions, fertile soils and high technical capacity, we were able to master it”, explains Griesang.

Technology for a shorter harvest

Planting a second cotton crop requires precision and leaves little room for error, as it is carried out within a short window. To ensure greater security in controlling diseases and pests that affect the crop, such as caterpillars, investment in biotechnology is a frequent practice. “There is no point in planting cotton without technology, as the cost of cultivation is high and we have extremely short windows. Therefore, since 2015 we have been using biotechnology that brings greater safety in pest control and, this year, for the second time, we are using Bollgard 3 RRFlex biotechnology”, says Griesang.

The third generation of Bollgard biotechnology, launched commercially by Bayer in 2021, facilitates the management and control of pests in crops, bringing greater security and savings to the farmer. “The launch of Bollgard 3 RRFlex is an important part of our strategy for insect management in cotton crops, as it provides protection against the main caterpillars that attack the crop, such as false leafworm, leafworm, pink bollworm and apple bollworm, in addition to to add protection against caterpillars of the Spodoptera spp and Helicoverpa spp complexes. Furthermore, the cotton farmer will continue to have flexibility in managing weeds with the herbicide glyphosate”, explains Rafael Mendes, leader of Bayer's Cotton Business for Latin America.

After starting to invest in biotechnology, now present in around 90% of the areas dedicated to cultivation on the farm, the Sementes Tropical group saw a jump in cotton productivity. “The cultivar with which we had the most results was in 2019/2020, with plots above 400 arrobas, something that could be repeated in 2022”, reveals Griesang “We also noticed a higher quality of the fiber. This makes us very happy, as there is no point in having a high production ceiling with standards that are not for export”, he argues.

“The use of biotechnology together with good management practices has brought positive results to the entire cotton chain. In addition to productivity, it brings gains to the environment, as it allows optimizing the use of agricultural inputs and natural resources”, says the director of Soy and Cotton Business at Bayer, Fernando Prudente.

Sustainability on the radar

With demand from the chain and consumers for responsibly produced raw materials, producers have been looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint and preserve natural resources, while ensuring consistent production. According to the Sementes Tropical producer, biotechnology and the varieties used have also contributed to the adoption of management practices that are more beneficial to the environment on the farm.

“When we have technology in the seed that protects us from some insects and reduces the need to apply agricultural pesticides, we are undoubtedly contributing to a more sustainable type of production. Having this resistance in the plant is the most sustainable path possible and this converges with our values ​​as a company”, concludes Griesang.