Research: IPM reduces insecticide application on soybeans by 50%

Over the past 10 years, farmers adopting integrated pest management (IPM) in soybean cultivation have managed to reduce their insecticide applications by 50% on average.

This fact is one of the findings of research conducted by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Soja) and the Institute of Rural Development of Paraná (IDR-Paraná).

IPM for soybeans has been recommended since the 1970s. Over the past decade, 1,639 farms systematically followed the strategies advocated by IPM. These farms reduced the number of insecticide applications from 3.6 to 1.7.

″The value is equivalent to a saving of two soybean bags per hectare. This decrease in chemical use reduces the exposure of applicators and promotes agriculture with lower costs and higher yields,″ said researcher Roberta Carnevalli from Embrapa Soja.

During the 2022/2023 crop season alone, 150 reference units (URs) under IPM-Soy were monitored in commercial farms across 101 municipalities.

″In addition to the excellent results we obtained with IPM, another differential is the compilation of data and annual publication with the disclosure of results,″ said Edivan Possamai, coordinator of the grain project at IDR-Paraná. 

Possamai explained that this IPM adoption process has been carried out by producers with the support of technical assistance professionals, enabling the effects of technology adoption to be monitored.

″The results show that it is possible to combine cost reduction due to the decrease in the number of applications, which translates into higher profitability and less environmental impact,″ he said.

In addition to IPM, other agricultural practices are being evaluated, such as integrated disease management and coinoculation.

Starting from the 2023/2024 crop season, the program will expand with the introduction of another protocol to evaluate the best practices in integrated weed management and soil management.

Among the basic principles of IPM is field monitoring using a beating cloth that indicates the quantity of insects present in the field. The decision to apply insecticides will be made only when the action levels recommended by research are reached, such as two stink bugs found on the beating cloth or a 20% defoliation for caterpillar control.

If spraying is necessary, the use of more selective products is recommended, meaning those that have targeted efficacy on a specific issue.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)