Expert calls for validation of fungicides use for sugarcane in Brazil

 

"With the introduction of the causal agent of the orange Rust, the Puccinia kuehnii fungus, in 2009, several varieties with good agronomic characteristics are being questioned because they allow the occurrence of Rust. There are nearly 1.3 million hectares (15% of the planted surface) with the occurrence of the orange Rust in the states of São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Goiás, and Minas Gerais. Preliminary estimates indicated that 20% of the damages are caused by this disease," explains Menten. 

 

According to him, "there is an opportunity to incorporate, similar to what occurs in soybean, corn, cotton, wheat, beans, rice, potatoes, tomatoes etc., other management alternatives, following the advocates of IPM - Integrated Pest Management". 

 

"There are already fungicides registered in Brazil to manage the orange Rust. As this is about a cultural change of farmers and advisers/consultants who are not familiarized with foliar fungicide application, the issue has to be discussed further. Several experiments have demonstrated the positive effects of fungicide application. Other experiments are being started in this season. There is a necessity to enhance the technology application, its better positioning during the cycle (moment of spraying, number of applications, etc), among other aspects," says the expert. 

 

"A needed technological shock on sugarcane which should bring expressive productivity increases, so essential to make the crop overcome the current crisis and that will require more audacious decision, breaking the conservatism of the activity and incorporating innovations that have shown scientifically the benefits, which are significantly to the costs of these new procedures. The rational use of foliar fungicides can be one of these necessary changes," he concludes.