Agrochemical Update Brazil & Latin America - 10/18/2023

In compliance with court decision, Anvisa approves toxicological evaluation of glyphosate 540 g/L SL from Proregistros. (Anvisa)

First occurrence of resistance to glyphosate for the weed Bidens subalternans was identified in Brazilian soybean crops by technicians from Coamo Agroindustrial Cooperativa. Embrapa is performing studies under controlled conditions to prove resistance. The first and only case of  Bidens subalternans resistance to the herbicide known so far was identified in 2018, in Paraguay. (Embrapa)

Ministry of Agriculture approved 45 pesticide registrations of formulated products. (MAPA, Act No. 45)

FMC launched a malathion-based insecticide to control coffee berry borer  (Hypothenemus hampei) in Brazil. According to Luís Grandeza, coffee crop manager at FMC, “Research with malathion in coffee fields demonstrated 5% less affected coffee grains compared to market standards, this is largely due to the shock effect, which does not generate an imbalance of other pests ”. (FMC)

Anvisa approves toxicological evaluation of new formulated pesticides florylpicoxamid, from CTVA, azoxystrobin 150 + difenoconazole 187.5 g/L + fluindapyr 150 g/L SC, from FMC, and, biciclopirone and tebuthiuron + biciclopirone, both from Syngenta. Anvisa also approved the toxicological evaluation of a new microbiological product (microbiological active ingredient not yet registered) based on  Bacillus thuringiensis isolate cctb22 + Bacillus thuringiensis isolate cctb25 + Brevibacillus laterosporus isolate cct492 from Total. (Anvisa)

Technical subcommittees of the National Technical Biosafety Commission authorized the commercial use of genetically modified corn for human and animal consumption with DP-202216-6 at the request of Corteva Agriscience. The introduction of the traits into the plants is mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and the objective is to make the plant tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate, in addition to improving photosynthesis and plant yield. The event in question is already allowed in other countries and according to Corteva, “DP202216 corn has previously been shown to be equivalent in composition and nutritionally to conventional corn.” (Corteva; CTNBio)

The Agriculture Department of the State of Rio Grande do Sul is monitoring HLB/Greening using sticky traps in citrus groves in 43 municipalities in the state, following more than 200 monitoring points. (Seapi)

Research performed by Brazilian and American institutions, such as Embrapa and Washington State University, showed that the polluting potential of sugarcane crop in Brazil is considerably lower than previously estimated. Nitrate and the herbicides diuron and hexazinone were used in the research. The scientific consensus was that 10% of nitrate and 1% of the herbicides would be lost after application, but new tests revealed that nitrate losses are about 5%, half of what was previously estimated. The same conclusion was not possible for herbicides due to the low diversity of the analyzed molecules. (Embrapa)

Carlos Fávaro, Minister of Agriculture, highlighted the importance of reducing the use of pesticides and bioinputs in the opening lecture of the Forum on Bioinputs in Agriculture at the Federation of Industries of São Paulo (Fiesp). “[…] In these 50 years, Brazil became a major food provider, we grew to 65 million hectares of agricultural areas (140%), but productivity increased 580%. This is the Brazilian revolution, based on sustainability, respect to the environment and we are going to grow much more, that is why the bio-inputs are important”, said the minister. (Fiesp; Ministry of Agriculture)