Use of technologies grows in the sugar-energy sector

Fertiláqua has been carrying out weekly online broadcasts with representatives of its technical staff and agribusiness experts to discuss the main points of agriculture and assist producers with tips and guidance that, until then, were given in the field.

In the Live “DM em Campo” with the theme “What is needed for the sugar-energy sector to open up to new technologies?” the guests were José Luiz I. Demattê, sugarcane consultant and retired professor at Esalq/USP, and Paulo Rodrigues, farmer in the grains, sugarcane and livestock sectors. The mediation was carried out by the CEO of Fertiláqua, José Ovídio Bessa.

Experts debated the main reasons why sugarcane productivity did not follow the double-digit percentage growth rate that has been occurring for some years with other crops such as corn, soybeans, coffee and cotton.

According to Demattê, sugarcane productivity and the ton of ATR (Total Recoverable Sugar) had a first considerable drop in 2010/2011. This happened due to the increase in mechanized cutting, with a crop that was not prepared for it. Not only because of the presence of the machine itself, but also because of what it was doing on the ground and in the environment, such as pulling out tussocks and trampling them. “A large part of the mechanized cutting system compacts the soil, both clayey and sandy, and the absorption of nutrients and water is compromised due to the reduction of porosity on the surface and subsurface”, explains the professor.

On the family farms managed by Rodrigues, mechanized harvesting began to be studied years before the increase in mechanized cutting on the market. “In addition to the issue of accelerated mechanization, we had other important factors to evaluate, such as the reduction in investment in the sugarcane sector for more than 10 years and the growth of areas in restrictive environments for production, complicating management. Together, these factors contributed to the context of reduced productivity”, he explains.

With this study, the farmer reached a fundamental point: the sugarcane field would need to be prepared for mechanization. If there is no redefinition of the layout, a sugarcane structure suitable for mechanization, the cycle already starts with problems. “Even with the sugarcane prepared, a qualified team, good logistics and harvesting, mechanization still brings problems. The main thing is compression and its effects. By harvesting a row at a spacing of 1,5m, we had 70% of the area compacted. In the second cut, a reduction in the root system was noticed; in the fourth or fifth cut, the root system was limited to just 0,5m deep. What we do now is harvest the sugarcane in 2 lines, which has reduced compaction to 25 to 30%. My objective is to provide conditions for the root system to develop better, using more water and nutrients”, says Rodrigues.

Another major management change according to experts was the harvesting of raw sugarcane, which deposits a layer of straw on the soil surface. “There weren’t many examples in sugarcane when we started harvesting raw sugarcane. Ideas came from the Direct Planting system in grains, analysis of the biological cycle of the crop, environment and the time it took to reach a new balance. Looking at other crops helped us understand what was going to happen with sugarcane and straw”, says the producer.  

The role of microorganisms and the presence of organic matter in the soil also became paramount. In older areas, without sugarcane burning, an increase in organic matter was noted in the surface layer. “If we can create conditions for microorganisms to develop, using methods such as inoculation and biological products, we will build a much better production environment. It is a new way of managing the soil that needs to be incorporated into everyday life”, points out Rodrigues.

The professor also highlighted during the chat the importance of knowing the soil, the variety of sugarcane he is working with and having people who know the crop: “For a while, there was no longer that person, but some mills are reviewing and returning to have someone to carry out complete inspections in the field, and identify what is happening in the field, in the environment and in the region, in order to anticipate problems and make quick decisions”.

Rodrigues has the same opinion and adds: “It is necessary to have as much information as possible through the manager who is in the area, images and drones, combined on a platform that will bring other local, personalized data. Establishing the use of platforms based on field experience is the biggest current challenge.”