Stoller launches innovation to drive peanut crop growth in Brazil

Date:05-02-2024

Peanut cultivation is conquering global markets and boosting Brazil's economic growth, after all it is one of the few products with ample space to expand the cultivation area. With a favorable climate, technological advances and improvements in grain quality, the country witnessed a notable increase in production, according to data from the Brazilian Association of the Chocolate, Peanut and Candy Industry (Abicab). Between 2019 and 2022, national peanut production grew by a surprising 60%, reaching almost 900 thousand tons.

Exports in 2022 totaled 285,6 thousand tons, generating revenue of US$333,4 million, positioning Brazil as the 6th largest exporter in the world, standing out mainly due to the protagonism of the state of São Paulo, being also the largest oilseed producer, with an estimated 190 thousand hectares cultivated.

Given this promising scenario, farmers face several challenges in growing peanuts, such as planting in sandy soils (of low fertility), water deficiency, high temperatures, diseases, among others. Stoller do Brasil, a Corteva Agriscience company, leader in Research and Development (R&D), presents a significant innovation for the crop: the Amendoim 360° concept, which reinforces the importance of combining technical knowledge and the practical experience of producers in the field , offering personalized solutions for different peanut production scenarios.

Peanut 360° management programs

Composed of three management programs, Peanut 360° aims to improve the service to farmers. The first, "Start well", focuses on the initial phase of the crop, optimizing the establishment of peanuts through greater growth of the root system, increased efficiency of water use and greater nitrogen intake. The second, "Strong peanut", are physiological solutions that aim to maximize productivity components (pods/m² and pod weight) and make plants more tolerant to stresses. Finally, the "Nutra&Defenda" concept, which aims to promote a balanced nutrition throughout the cycle, aiming to make the plants more resistant to diseases such as brown spot and black spot, common in peanut cultivation, which even with up to eight fungicide applications, cannot be controlled 100%.

João Vitor G. Pasquetto, Stoller's Market Development agronomist, reinforces: "Peanut 360° aims to have a critical and differentiated look at the crop, from implantation to harvest, looking at all angles (challenges and characteristics) of peanut cultivation".

Pasquetto also highlights the importance of managing micronutrients, which are often neglected. In the case of peanuts, the production of more pods per square meter is crucial to increase productivity. In this scenario, management with micronutrients and growth-promoting hormones are of great importance in increasing the number of pods per plant.

"Research indicates that temperatures above 33°C and high disease severity negatively affect pod weight count. Peanut 360° aims to make plants more tolerant to abiotic stresses (including temperature) and diseases, contributing to increased productivity", he concludes.

Stoller seeks to strengthen its relationship with peanut farmers by providing knowledge, services and innovative technologies for the crop. The Peanut 360° concept is not a rigid management, allowing, with the use of assertive knowledge and investment management, to increase productivity, generating greater net profit and reducing the cost per bag of peanuts produced.