AgroPages-Arysta, IAC & Fundecitrus partner to monitor citrus crop in Brazil-Agricultural news

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Arysta LifeScience and the Fund for Defense of Citrus (Fundecitrus) have signed a partnership agreement to strengthen the inspection of sprayers on citrus farms. This initiative will work as an extension to Arysta’s ‘Spray Well’ Program. ‘Spray Well’ is a pioneering initiative of Arysta LifeScience in partnership with the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC), which multiplies good practices, correct application of agrochemicals and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on farms.

Fundecitrus will select producers of all levels (small, medium and large) and the ‘Spray Well’ Program will evaluate the equipment of spraying in these properties. The partnership aims to validate the method of evaluation for turbo-sprayers. It is a similar work of what has been developed for the validation of sprayers on bars of sugarcane crops.

According to Hamilton Ramos, a scientific researcher at IAC, effective spraying is only possible with three factors: good sprayers, good regulators and operations by a trained professional. “In 10 years, the ‘Spray Well’ Program has been emphasizing on regulation and training, working for the improvement of quality of spraying. Now with the approval of ISO 16122 comes the possibility of evaluating the quality of what is sprayed through the quality analysis of these equipment in use in Brazilian agriculture,” said Ramos.

The Arysta and Fundecitrus’ partnership seeks the validation of the method of analysis and the creation and validation of a database for analyzing the quality of sprayers in use in citrus plantations in the state of Sao Paulo, based on international norms. In the first stage of the project, there will be an evaluation of at least 20 turbo-sprayers.

“Once the evaluation method and the database have been developed, ‘Spray Well’ Program can not only improve its service to farmers, but also find major problems encountered,” explained Arysta’s stewardship expert, Cláudia Barros.

In this sense, the partnership will guide farmers in the choice of equipment for different types of crops. “There is great demand for information by farmers, who seek assistance to choose the right equipment for citrus management and cultivation. Our intention is to identify the main problems, risks and difficulties in the field, helping farmers in the correct application of inputs in a more efficient and secure way,” explained Marcelo Scapin, scientific researcher at Fundecitrus.

The project intends to harvest samples of different citrus crops through major regions of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. The evaluations begin in the region of Araraquara (SP) and will continue to Pirassununga, Avaré and Bebedouro.