Azospirillum brasilense Can Increase Corn Productivity by 28%
Brazil
Brazilian companies will participate in the 25th China International Agrochemical & Crop Protection Exhibition, in Shanghai, China. AgriBrasilis will participate, launching new edition Pesticide Registration Approvals (2024), available in English and Mandarin.
Mosaic released 2024’s figures. Among the initiatives last year in Brazil, the company reduced phosphate rock imports and increased local production, generating savings of US$ 35 million to US$ 40 million. Despite this, the exchange rate volatility negatively impacted the results by US$ 35 million in the 4Q. (The Mosaic Company)
Bioinpus market continues to expand and could reach revenues of more than US$ 1.53 billion by the end of the decade. The figures were presented by the National Association for the Promotion and Innovation of the Biological Industry during the 2nd ANPII Bio Market Intelligence Workshop. The market reached US$ 970 million in the last season, covering an area of 156 million hectares. (ANPII Bio)
Agrodefesa warns corn farmers about the leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis). The campaign “Zero Volunteer Corn” reinforces the need to eliminate volunteer plants in order to prevent the spread of the insect. (Agrodefesa; Conab)
Albaugh announced the opening of three new branches in Brazil. Already in operation, the logistics centers are located in Aparecida de Goiânia, State of Goiás; Dourados, State of Mato Grosso do Sul; and Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais. The regions were strategically chosen to speed up the delivery of inputs. (Albaugh)
Koppert Brasil has inaugurated its new Corporate Center in Piracicaba, São Paulo, as part of its innovation and expansion strategy in the biopesticides sector. (Koppert)
Federal Highway Police seized a truck carrying 820 kg of smuggled pesticides in Sorriso, in the State of Mato Grosso. (PRF; Ibama)
São Paulo State Secretariat of Agriculture inspected 3.37 million citrus plants, in 48 farms, for greening control. “We started work in 2025 on farms located in regions where we noticed the failure in presenting the biannual Canker/Greening report, which deadline was January 15th”, said Danilo Romão, manager of the State Program for Quarantine Pests. (CDA/SAA)
Bioma, in partnership with the Federal University of Paraná State, has developed and received a license from the Ministry of Agriculture to sell a new strain of the bacterium Azospirillum brasilense, which can increase corn yields by up to 28%. The nitrogen-fixing bacterium improves plant vitality by producing ammonium in the roots. It is estimated that 40% of the corn area in Brazil already uses inoculants from traditional strains. (Bioma; UFPR)
Copagril cooperative, in partnership with the Western Paraná Regional Association of Pesticide Distributors, established a calendar for pesticide package collection for 1H2025. The objective is to ensure the correct package disposal, promoting sustainability and environmental preservation. Copagril members can deliver empty packages at its respective operating units, according to the calendar. (Copagril)
Itafós opened a distribution center for phosphate fertilizers in Luiz Eduardo Magalhães, State of Bahia. The main market to focus on encompasses the States of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia, with the sale of phosphate products. The fertilizers will reach the Northeast from Itafós Industry, which already operates in Tocantins, in the city of Arraias. The distribution center will assist the West of BA, which represents 20% of the volume sold by Itafós, in addition to the South of Piauí and Maranhão. (Itafós)
School of Multidimensional Security from the University of São Paulo, in partnership with CropLife, opened applications for the third edition of the Training Program on Combating Illicit Markets in Agricultural Inputs. The course is supported by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and aims to train public and private security agents to fight the illegal agricultural inputs market. Registration can be made until March 10th. (ESEM)
The Parliamentary Agricultural Front presented the Government with suggestions to try to contain food prices. Among the short-term measures: review of taxation on fertilizers and pesticides, ensuring the renewal of ICMS Agreement No. 100/97 (which reduces taxes) until the transition of tax reform; permission for farmers to use ICMS (Tax on Circulation of Goods and Provision of Services) credits to purchase agricultural machinery and inputs; etc. (FPA)
Minas Gerais Agricultural Institute is investigating a complaint from beekeepers in São José da Barra, in the State of Minas Gerais, who report the death of thousands of bees due to aerial spraying of pesticides on sugarcane fields, affecting 160 hives in the municipality and others in the region, with estimated losses exceeding US$ 17,240. (Greenpeace Brazil; IMA)
Hormonal herbicides applied in rice farms in Torres, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, have damaged agro-ecological production in the region. Commercialization has been canceled (Seapi; MP-RS)
INB and Galvani Fertilizantes consortium explore phosphate and uranium mining in Santa Quitéria, in the State of Ceará, with operations scheduled for 2029. (INB)
Study by the University of Caxias do Sul indicates that prolonged exposure to pesticides increases the risk of cancer, especially in lung, breast, prostate and hematological cancers, aggravated by the inadequate use of PPE. (UCS)
Liquid nitrogen, imported from the USA, was presented in the Copercampos 2025 Technology Show as an alternative to urea, showing positive results in corn, wheat, winter cereals and soybean. (Ourofertil Fertilizantes; Copercampos)
Mato Grosso State Legislative Assembly has withdrawn Bill 1833/2023 from the agenda, which proposed reducing the minimum distances for applying pesticides in areas near springs and water sources. The proposal called for 25 meters for large properties and no distance at all for small and medium-sized ones. The Health Commission will analyze the impacts before a new vote. (ALMT)
Embrapa has announced the launch of Sombryt BR, a sunscreen for crops, developed in partnership with Litho Plant. The product, based on calcium carbonate, has been tested since 2021 in aerial and terrestrial applications, improves plant adaptation to climate change, reduces leaf and fruit burning, increases resilience and productivity, and can be used on organic crops. (Embrapa)
A research has identified the native grass Paspalum regnellii has natural resistance to the pasture grasshopper (Mahanarva spectabilis). The genotypes BGP 248 and BGP 344 were shown to be effective against the pest, with BGP 344 displaying a stronger response, including a higher nymph mortality rate. It opens possibilities for pasture genetic improvement. (Embrapa; Unicamp)
In compliance with court decisions, Anvisa approves the toxicological evaluation of Glufosinate 792.5 g/kg WG from Wynca; Lambda-cyhalothrin 250 g/L CS from Rainbow; Acephate 970 g/kg SG from Biorisk; Acetamiprid 125 + bifenthrin 125 g/L SL from Meghmani; Prothioconazole 175 + picoxystrobin 150 g/L SC from Tecnomyl; and Clomazone 360 g/L CS from Tecnomyl. (Anvisa)
Latin America
After more than 2 years, six defendants were convicted of stealing pesticides from a farm in Maggiolo, in Santa Fé, Argentina. “Is not anyone that enters in a farm at night, armed and with logistics like that… This is a case of organized crime,” said promoter Damián Cassullo. (Santa Fé Department of Justice)
Skymaps has launched CultiWise, precision mapping software using compact drones, which reduces costs by up to 20% and increases productivity by 10%. The system costs US$5.35/ha, and the drone covers 200 hectares per hour. It already has more than 1,000 subscribers in 15 countries, including Argentina. (Skymaps)
BASF released its 2024 figures. Sales in South America, Africa and the Middle East fell by € 63 million year-on-year to € 2.356 billion. The drop was attributed to negative exchange rate effects, particularly in relation to the Brazilian real and the Argentine peso, as well as lower prices. (BASF)
Bolivia stopped importing urea and almost doubled local production, reaching 525 thousand tonnes in 2024, according to the president of the state-owned company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos, Armin Dorgathen. “More than 99% of urea consumption in the country comes from the Ammonia and Urea Plant at Cochabamba. In other words, we are using national urea, replacing imports and guaranteeing food safety”. (YPFB)
Chamber of Deputies of Mexico approved, with 382 votes in favor and 88 against, the ban on the planting of GMO corn, classifying native corn as an “element of national identity”. The project heads to the Senate for final evaluation. (Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas)
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