Soy is one of the main grain crops in Rio Grande do Sul, where more than 6 million hectares are cultivated each harvest, which demonstrates the importance of the oilseed for the economy. In order to obtain adequate plant establishment in the field, assertive management is essential, starting with seed treatment.
How important is TS?
Seed Treatment (TS) proves to be a great ally for rural producers in controlling pests and diseases in the initial stages of crop development. This practice considerably reduces the negative impacts on the establishment and productive potential of the crop. Seed health is a very important factor, since they are susceptible to attacks by various phytopathogenic agents, and can serve as a vehicle for dissemination when infected. Given this reality, the use of seed treatment becomes essential.
Industrial Seed Treatment
In the current agricultural market, Industrial Seed Treatment (TSI) stands out as an alternative widely adopted by rural producers, mainly due to its practicality. In this method, the seeds are purchased already treated and ready for sowing, being surrounded by some active agents, which may be: fungicides, insecticides, nutritional and biological nematicides. In addition to the active ingredients, the seeds are coated with polymer, providing greater adhesion to the products used. Opting for TSI offers a series of advantages to crops, including a significant reduction in the risk of poisoning for producers, the certainty of a correct mixture of chemicals and a more uniform distribution of treatment agents in the grains.
On Farm seed treatment
Given the greater investment when treated industrially, many rural producers are exploring a more viable alternative known as on-farm seed treatment (Treatment On Farm, TOF). TOF is also viewed favorably, as this practice grants freedom of choice in the products used and is adopted with the aim of a better relationship between cost and benefit.
Main diseases and pests controlled
Soybean TS is indicated for the control of several fungal diseases that can attack seeds and seedlings, such as: anthracnose (Colletotrichum truncatum), which causes seed deterioration and necrosis of the cotyledons in seedlings; Phomopsisyae, a fungus frequently found in seeds and the main cause of low germination in soybeans; and Cercospora kikuchii, the causative agent of purple spot, which results in damage to the grains and presents symptoms of purple spots, which can lead to the death of seedlings.
Insect pests are responsible for causing significant damage to soybean seedlings, especially in the early stages of growth. Faced with this situation, seed treatment, as well as for diseases, becomes extremely important. According to Embrapa, treating soybean seeds with insecticides is considered the most efficient method to control pests at the beginning of the crop's development, preventing losses resulting from pests both in the soil and in the aerial part, promoting a healthy initial establishment of the crop.
The use of insecticides and nematicides plays a fundamental role in combating these insect pests, the most common of which are the elasmo caterpillar (Elasmopalpus lignosellus) and the pinworm (Diabrotica speciosa). Furthermore, nematodes represent a considerable concern in the Central-West region of Brazil and currently in other regions as well. The root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica and Meloidogyne incognita) and the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) stand out. In this context, seed treatment (ST) has the primary objective of protecting plants against attack by these organisms.
In this context, the practice of seed treatment in soybean cultivation plays a fundamental role in optimizing productivity and protecting plants against various phytosanitary challenges. The combination of coating methods, together with the use of cutting-edge chemical and biological products, allows farmers to guarantee increased crop vigor from the initial stages of development.
By Eduarda Antonow and Kelvin Soares Dalla Nora, academics from the Agronomy course at UFSM campus Frederico Westphalen, members of the junior company AGR Jr. Consultoria Agronômica, under the supervision of the advisor, professor Dr. Gizelli Moiano de Paula.
