Researchers systematize list of products registered for peanut cultivation

All products authorized for peanut cultivation gathered in one place to facilitate the producer's decision-making. With this objective, the Plant Health working group of the Peanut Sector Chamber, coordinated by Embrapa researchers, with support from the São Paulo Agribusiness Technology Agency (APTA), created the AmendoSafe, a spreadsheet that comprises a set of information on the products available for managing peanut pests, aiming to reduce the risk of pesticide residues and the production of safe, quality food. The information is organized considering the large groups of pests, whether diseases, nematodes, weeds, insects and mites. 

The researcher observes that although there is already Agrofit, a tool from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, where it is possible to obtain information about products registered for the crop, not all information is readily visible. “You need to navigate through the tool to obtain them. The difference, in the case of AmendoSafe, is that the crucial information for decision-making is all grouped together”, he compares.
 
“The idea for this spreadsheet came about after we realized the need to provide information on the different pest management options in peanut farming, whether by constantly updating available products or by increasing the rigor regarding residue monitoring in the main import markets. of Brazilian peanuts”, says Embrapa Algodão researcher Dartanhã Soares.
 
He recalls that since the beginning of 2019, at the ordinary meetings of the Peanut Sector Chamber, in São Paulo, updates to the pesticide schedule for peanut cultivation were always announced, but the registration of bio-based products was rarely mentioned. . 
 
According to the researcher, in a survey carried out in the second half of last year on the panorama and potential for adopting biological control in peanut cultivation, it was observed that there is a certain lack of knowledge regarding the use of products for biological control. “Although part of the chain uses biological control options, a significant portion, due to lack of knowledge of the legislation, which determines that biological control products are registered by target and not by culture, believed that there were no biological product options to be used in the culture of peanuts. Therefore, this tool also becomes useful for breaking paradigms and raising awareness in the production chain to use more sustainable management options”, says Soares.
 
The researcher informs that annual updates will be made to include new records, as well as updating possible new MRLs.  

How to use AmendoSafe

The use of AmendoSafe must be based on good agricultural practices and, consequently, integrated pest management. Faced with the need for pest management interventions, AmendoSafe allows you to evaluate the options of registered products for a given target, based on information regarding the active ingredients available, the chemical or biological group, the withdrawal period and the maximum residue limits .  
“This set of information allows us to quickly evaluate options for rotating active ingredients or chemical and biological groups, aiming to reduce the risk of emergence of resistant biotypes, as well as allowing us to evaluate the best options in terms of withdrawal period and MRLs so that, if any intervention is necessary, products that allow the harvesting of peanuts after the grace period are chosen, and consequently resulting in MRLs in compliance with the legislation”, explains the researcher.  

Within each pest group, targets are listed in alphabetical order by scientific name, followed by their common name in the second column. In the third column, the commercial names of all products registered for the management of that target are listed, followed by their respective active ingredient, chemical/biological group and withdrawal period.

Finally, for each product, the MRLs established by Brazilian legislation (Brazil), the FAO Codex Alimentarum (Codex) and the European Union (EU) are listed.  
According to Soares, the idea is for the spreadsheet to evolve into an application, making the interface more user-friendly and further expanding its potential for use. 
 
Click here to download AmendoSafe