Brazil: Unesp inaugurates new research center for biological control of sugarcane pests

FAPESP and São Martinho, one of the largest companies in Brazil’s sugar and alcohol sector, selected the Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences at Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), based in Jaboticabal, as the headquarters of its new Engineering Research Center (CPE), which will conduct research on how to control pests and diseases that affect sugarcane plantations.
 
With an expected investment of R$8 million over five years, the Research Center for Plant Health Engineering in Sugarcane aims to develop strategies against sugarcane pests and diseases that utilize biological and behavioral control. Both techniques use fungi, bacteria and pheromones, substances that attract pests, to protect crops, making it possible to eliminate or reduce the use of agrochemicals.

The CPE Phytosanity in Sugarcane will also operate in the area of biotechnology and plant resistance, mainly focusing on conventional crossings to improve cultivars.

Investments will be made through the Engineering Research Centers (CPE) Program. FAPESP and São Martinho will each invest R$4 million in resources for the new research center. The university's economic compensation will be offered in the form of salaries for researchers and support staff, as well as funding for infrastructure and facilities. The program will run for five years and can be extended for another five years.

“We are confident that the interaction between industry and the university will generate good results for the economy and society. São Martinho has prioritized innovation as one of its key pillars of development. Our expectations for the project are high, as it has the potential to create a new innovation ecosystem in the country,” said Walter Maccheroni (Innovation Manager at São Martinho).

With more than 300,000 hectares of harvesting area and an approximate crushing capacity of 24 million tons of cane, São Martinho is one of the largest companies in the sector in the country.

Four potential issues

“The new center’s goal is to understand the entire biological, ecological and epidemiological aspects of pests and diseases and, therefore, to develop innovative control methods in a sector that already favors biological control as its main tool,” said Odair Aparecido Fernandes (Professor at the School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences at Unesp in Jaboticabal and Researcher Responsible for the new CPE).

São Martinho stressed that the disease known as cane wilting syndrome, the cane beak (Sphenophorus levis) and the hairy caterpillar (Hyponeuma taltula) as research priorities.

In addition to the three common problems affecting sugarcane crops throughout Brazil, the control of the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) was also listed as a priority. Despite not being a pest of sugarcane crops, the larvae of this species of fly develop in the straw of sugarcane during irrigation by vinasse. During its proliferation, the fly attacks cattle in neighboring pastures, causing damage to the livelihood of cattle ranchers in the west of the state of São Paulo, as well as Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás.

Always innovate

Fernandes pointed out that the four pests or diseases that will be studied at the new center have become more prominent in recent years, as they are related to more advanced environmental planting techniques that do not involve burning straw.

“Not burning the straw that covers the soil is very important from an environmental point of view. This change to the sugarcane planting and harvesting system was essential for the environment, but a side effect is the resurgence of these pests and diseases. The center's main objective is to innovate biological control, in order to not resort to old tools,” Fernandes said.

The CPE will have a team of 31 researchers formed by the Unesp group from Jaboticabal and various partner institutions, such as Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC), Agência Paulista de Tecnologia (APTA), Cooperativa Agroindustrial (Coplana), Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), the Educational Foundation of Ituverava and the University of Franca.

 “We aim to bring together entomologists, cytopathologists and researchers linked to education and technology transfers. In addition to scientific development, it is important to transfer knowledge to the productive sector and schools,” Fernandes added.

The original Portuguese version of this piece is from GRUPO CULTIVAR.