Argentina holds 1st meeting on production with biological inputs

The first meeting in Argentina on production with biological products and sustainable strategies, held in Tandil city, was a “resounding success”, say the organizers of the event.

More than 1,000 attendees came to learn and share experiences on the production of extensive crops with new biological technologies, which in some cases will replace agrochemicals and in others come to complement each other.

In total, 42 companies, seven chambers, and six producer organizations participated in the sample. The event was organized by El Chacarero and Agribio websites and the Chamber of Pesticide Applicators of Tandil.

The exhibition, which was broadcast by streaming to four countries, opened with crop dynamics where batches of soybeans, corn, and sunflower treated exclusively with bio-inputs could be seen. In all lots, seed treatments, biostimulants and biocontrollers were applied.

There was bacteria, fungi, polyphenols, microbial consortiums, and even marine algae in corn that exceeded two meters in height with health that surprised even the most experienced phytopathologists. The companies Rizobacter, Barenbrug, Agrocube, Aminochen/CKC, Summitagro, HMA4, Forbio, Nitrap, and Ypf Agro participated in the treated crop plots.

The talks took place in the main tent. The first to speak was Ing. Alejandro Perticari, from INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology) and a Member of the Biological Nutrition Board, who stated, “Plants select the microbes that colonize them. We know with evidence the effects of bio inoculants with microorganisms applied to plants selected for their virtues in certain processes. There is evidence of close relationships between plants and microorganisms.”

Martín Diaz Zorita, Technical Director of the company Fertilizar, maintained that the biologicals applied in seed treatment produce changes in their environment (control of pathogens, activation of microorganisms) and the metabolism of plants, and also improve their installation. and operation.

Later, Marcelo Arriola, Director of the Farm System of the Argentine Association of Direct Sowing Producers (Aapresid), affirmed that the soil needs a change and presented the Biological Nutrition Network. “We have a space promoted by the Farm System to contribute to a production by exploring the response to the application of biological nutrition technology.”

Dr. Gustavo Gonzalez Anta, from the company Indrasa Biotecnología, referred to the competitive advantages of microorganisms, the microbiologies available today, and those that will be available shortly.

“Microorganisms are not resilient and have a great capacity to adapt, unlike chemicals. They adapt to the deficit or excess of water in the soil, temperatures, soil salinity, heavy metals, gamma radiation, and ultraviolet light. The products that are available today are those that help the biological fixation of nitrogen and microbial consortiums that allow increasing yields and increasing the health of plants. Among the main Biocontrollers, those that contain Bacillus thuringiensis stood out," he said.

Finally, Adrián Mitidieri, from the company Agrodesarrollos, proposed a question: Why didn't bio-inputs explode before? “Chemical alternatives were more efficient, cheaper, and simpler, there were few cases of resistance in weeds, diseases, and insects, few application restrictions, but that has changed. On the other hand, there was a lack of knowledge and technology for using bio-inputs that copied chemicals, and there was a high cost of developing bio-inputs, but that has also changed,” he replied.

The meeting also provided a meeting place for the Argentine Chamber of Bioinsumos (Cabio), the Chamber of Agricultural Health and Fertilizers (Casafe), and the Campo Limpio packaging collection program. The entities discussed how to get companies that produce biological products to join the Campo Limpio program. In addition, meeting points for different realities were sought.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)