UPL launches Biobac microbiological nematicide for sugarcane

UPL now offers the microbiological nematicide Biobac for use in sugarcane. The solution represents another resource to contribute to increasing sugarcane productivity and has proven effectiveness against root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita).

"Nematodes represent an important challenge for sugarcane fields. Recent studies indicate that infestation of these pests can reduce productivity from the first cut by up to 30%. In ratoon sugarcane, there is a 20% drop per cut. Furthermore, nematodes reduce the longevity of the crop in one cut, which represents great losses for farmers", explains agronomist Rafael Rovêa, marketing supervisor at UPL Brasil.

To combat nematodes, UPL sought a solution in science, with the development of an exclusive strain (Y1336) of Bacillus subtilis. This bacteria, which is part of the composition of Biobac, efficiently controls nematodes. "The bacillus present in Biobac proliferates around the sugarcane roots, protecting them, and causes competition for food with the nematode, which ends up dying from starvation", explains Rovêa, who is a specialist in plant protection.

Taking action against nematodes is urgent, as the problem is spread across all producing regions in Brazil, especially in the State of São Paulo, with cases concentrated in the regions surrounding the municipalities of Araçatuba, Jaú, Lins, Piracicaba, Presidente Prudente, Ribeirão Preto and São José do Rio Preto. The territory of São Paulo alone represents 57% of the 757 million tons of sugarcane produced in the country, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

"Biobac has no chemical ingredients – an increasing trend in the sugarcane market, since sugar and alcohol companies have very serious commitments to environmental protection and the safety of their employees. With this, producers obtain superior capacity for persistence of the nematicide in the application site and rapid proliferation of Bacillus, in addition to having an easy-to-handle product at hand", concludes Rovêa.

Biobac, which is now reaching sugarcane, is already present on the market with registration for more than 50 crops. Its active ingredient, Bacillus subtilis Y1336 – created in Taiwan by Bion Tech for UPL – won the 2016 Plant Protection Products Contribution Award in China. The product is part of the Pronutiva line, exclusive to UPL, which integrates the use of crop protection solutions with the most modern biosolution technologies.