​Program brings together Brazilian soybean researchers and consultants on a trip to 'agricultural Romania'

Around 50 Brazilian researchers traveled to Romania between the 18th and 25th of June. At the invitation of the DuPont Expert Team project, maintained by DuPont Crop Protection, the experts began the technological exchange tour in the capital Bucharest, in which they discussed trials recently produced on the Brazilian soybean agricultural frontier, in the areas of fungicides, herbicides and seed treatment . Next, the group visited the main farming regions of the Eastern European country.

Romania has become the third largest soybean producer in Europe, behind Russia and Ukraine. With a total area of ​​23,8 million hectares, of which 9 million hectares are occupied by arable land, the country today has agribusiness as one of the pillars of its economy. Romanian agricultural activity accounts for 6% of GDP.

According to the group of researchers, one of the highlights of the trip was the visit to a property owned by the company Agricost, located on the Big Island of Braila, in the Romanian part of the Danube River. On this farm, Brazilians exchanged experiences with Romanian professionals about sustainable management and technologies to increase productivity in soybean, corn, wheat and sunflower crops.

Researcher at the MS Foundation, agronomist-doctorate engineer José Fernando J. Grigolli, a guest from DuPont, revealed that he was surprised by the Romanian field. “I expected agriculture with a low technological level, and, on the contrary, we observed technologies with very interesting machines and cultivation systems, in addition to the high yield of grains cultivated by Agricost”, highlights Grigolli. In Brazil, he studies the management of pests, diseases, weeds and nematodes in soybeans and corn.

The managing partner of the consultancy Agrodynamics, from the state of Mato Grosso, agronomist Valtemir José Carlin, a specialist in plant protection, also present at the Expert Team, understands that Romania has at least two advantages over Brazil in terms of soybean production, despite the gigantism of Brazilian crops. “They have a cold climate, with a very strong winter, a factor that reduces the incidence of pests and diseases, and surprising logistics, due to the possibility of transporting production via wide sea routes, through the Black Sea, for example”, says Carlin.

In the stage of the trip dedicated to scientific debate, in the capital Bucharest, which preceded the technological tour, the group of researchers presented work involving the fungicides Vessarya and Aproach Prima, the insecticide for seed treatment Dermacor and the herbicide Ligate, which will be launched by DuPont .

In the area of ​​fungicides, the predominant themes were the management of Asian rust resistance and the control of end-of-cycle diseases of the oilseed crop. In terms of seed treatment, studies focused on the control of soil pests such as coró and elasm, in addition to protection against Spodopteras in the initial phase of the crop. Regarding weeds, the experts discussed control methods, future trends for invasive infestations and the increase in resistance of herbs to online herbicides in the Brazilian market.

Researchers Carlin and Grigolli emphasize that they have already developed dozens of works with the fungicides Vessarya and Aproach Prima.

“Aproach Prima is still a product considered efficient for controlling soybean rust, and can also be part of resistance management, through product rotation or modes of action. Vessarya is among the best products on the market”, says Carlin. For Grigolli, both products show good results in controlling Asian rust. “Vessarya proves to be the most efficient registered carboxamide in controlling the disease in Mato Grosso do Sul”, concludes the scientist.