Bayer launches new nematicide in Brazil

Bayer has developed the nematicide Verango Prime, whose active ingredient is Fluopiram, which offers effective and long-term control to a wide spectrum of the nematode species, allowing rural producers of soybean, sugar cane, potato and coffee crops to count on the nematicide for the 2020-2021 harvest season.

Registration will soon be extended to other crops such as cotton and corn.

“Rural producers in the most diversified segments of Brazil, today, need to deal with the productivity losses caused by nematodes - parasites that stay in the soil, attack the roots of plants and steal part of the nutrients. In other words, the nematodes have a direct impact on the farmer's productivity and profitability,” explained Renato Carvalho, Marketing manager at Bayer.

“The nematodes penetrate the roots and begin a process of reproduction, destroying the cells and preventing the absorption of water and nutrients by the plant. Some even induce changes in the root tissues. In potato cultivation, for example, gall nematodes and root lesions can affect 100% of production directly impacting the product quality. In soy, the damage can be enormous, with losses estimated at up to R$4 billion (US$701 million) per year. Sugar cane is no different, with damage affecting up to 50% of productivity. Just like in coffee which suffers nearly 20% of productive losses,” Carvalho stated.

According to the expert, nematodes are present in several cultures and cause losses estimated at R$35 billion (US$6.1 billion). “For this reason, Verango Prime arrives to supply this need for farmers. This nematicide from Bayer is a revolutionary technology that, due to its mode of action, protects plants from nematodes, in addition to being compatible with biological products and having a toxicological profile favorable to the environment and operators. In other words, it helps the producer to effectively manage nematodes more sustainably.”

The original Portuguese version of this piece is from Grupo Cultivar.