Study Determines the Presence of Pesticides That Are Contaminating Bees in Mexico
Brazil
Even with the 2023/24 harvest record, Brazil faces challenges such as the incidence of pests. There were production issues due to the increased incidence of boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), Tetranychus urticae and Spodoptera spp in cotton. (Syngenta)
Silicon can act as a mitigator of water deficit in soybean. Although it is not considered an essential nutrient, silicon is highly beneficial for the growth and development of soybeans, effectively mitigating the effects of water deficit, one of the main factors of abiotic stress in agriculture. “Improvement in leaf architecture can be observed, which optimizes solar incidence and reduces water transpiration. In addition, silicon activates the plants’ antioxidant defense system and increases photosynthetic capacity”, indicates the new booklet of the “Série Produtor Rural” (Farmer Series). (Esalq)
The National Association for Fertilizer Diffusion reported fertilizer supply to the Brazilian market, between January and June of 2024, fell by 1.8% compared to the 18.61 million tonnes recorded in the same period in 2023. (ANDA)
Sugarcane Technology Center – CTC and PlantArcBio, an Israeli agricultural biotech company, announced a collaboration in Research and Development. The goal is to discover new molecules for biological control of sugarcane pests, in addition to doubling the crop’s yield in the next 20 years. (CTC; PlantArcBio)
Brazil’s Northern Arc ports increased the share of the 1H 2024, reaching 3.7 million tonnes of fertilizer, an increase of 860 thousand tonnes compared to the same period last year. However, this increase is under pressure due to the possible worsening of the drought in the 2H 2024. The country imported 17.8 million tonnes of fertilizers between January and June. (Secex; Argus)
Aprosoja received a complaint from farmers and inputs importers about the possible cartel formation in the market for the supply of concentrated phosphate fertilizers. According to this complaint, the fertilizer price would have been internalized in Brazil at a price up to US$ 100 more expensive than the same fertilizer priced at parity in India. (Aprosoja Brasil)
Agroessence is Nutrien’s new B2B brand. The official launch was on 9/5. The brand is the result of a merger between distributors Casal and Cultive, which were acquired by Nutrien in recent years. The goal is to operate in the Brazilian agricultural retail distribution market. (Nutrien Agricultural Solutions)
In 2024, the incidence of greening has reached 44.3% in the citrus belt of the State of São Paulo and Triângulo/Southwest of Minas Gerais, with 203.74 million orange trees affected. The regions with the highest incidence are Limeira (79.38%), Brotas (77.06%), Porto Ferreira (71.77%), Duartina (63.93%), etc. “It is essential to maintain strict control of the psyllid, with quality applications, with a maximum interval between applications of 10 days, and rotating effective insecticides so that diseased plants do not serve as a source of inoculum and accelerate the spread and severity of the disease within the orchard and in neighboring orchards, anticipating the loss of productive longevity of the orchards”, said Renato Bassanezi, researcher at Fundecitrus. (Fundecitrus)
Brazil has the biggest reverse logistics program for empty pesticide packaging in the world. Campo Limpo System has sustainably disposed of approximately 754 thousand tonnes of packages since 2002. This corresponds to 1.05 million tonnes of CO2 that were not emitted. “If agriculture can be sustainable and pay attention to the environment, all other sectors can do too. Our goal is also to serve as a model and inspiration for the circular economy and reverse logistics”, said Marcelo Okamura, CEO of inpEV. (inpEV)
In compliance with court decision, Anvisa approved toxicological evaluation of glufosinate – ammonium salt 500 g/kg SG (Proregistros), glufosinate – ammonium salt 280 g/L SL (Proregistros), mesotrione 480 g/L SC (Rainbow), flumioxazine 500 g/kg WG (AllierBrasil). (Anvisa)
Companies from the adjuvante business are being transformed by ESG, seeking to adopt more sustainable practices. “Approximately 40% of them reported they have analyzed their suppliers to ensure compliance with environmental and social standards by 2023. This includes preference for suppliers that use certified raw materials and low environmental impact practices”, said Leandro Viegas, CEO of Sell Agro. (Sell Agro)
Approximately 40% of the 70 thousand tonnes of waste collected in the Federal District are processed and transformed into organic fertilizer for farmers. In 2023, 19.8 thousand tonnes of waste were converted into organic compost. This process occurs through bacteria and fungi that are favored by high humidity, carrying out a natural fermentation, decomposing the waste. (Urban Cleaning Service)
Latin America
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he is negotiating with the Bolivian government to buid a fertilizer factory on the border between Corumbá, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, and Porto Quijarro. (Government of Brazil)
Launched in Aucallama, Peru, the “Inter-Commission Contest for Agrochemical Packaging Users”, with the aim to combat the contamination of irrigation canals with empty agrochemical containers. (Municipalidad Distrital de Aucallama)
Chilean researchers have been trainned by the National Agricultural Technology of Argentina to identify pests and diseases using molecular techniques. The training aimed to train professionals to diagnose greening and develop analytical skills, allowing them to apply the same procedures and techniques established by Argentine researchers. Rubén Millanao, deputy director of R&D at INIA La Cruz, said that greening is not present in Chile, but “being trained in molecular biology techniques in advance becomes a valuable tool for detecting the entry of citrus quarantine pests into the country”. (INIA)
Researchers in Mexico are conducting a study to determine the presence of pesticides that are contaminating bees. “There were farmers who went from having 300 hives to 50… we need to see what is causing this mortality. There are bees that arrive at the hive and die there, that is, they arrive poisoned; but there are others that become disoriented by the dose of pesticide and do not even reach the hive”, said Roberto Valencia, researcher at the University of Colima. (University of Colima)
READ MORE: