Agência Brasil - ABr

The Technological Development Cooperative of Paraná (Coodetec) confirms the first two cases of Asian rust in soybean plantations in the west of Paraná. This makes 11 cases in the state. The disease is spread by the movement of the wind.

The Asian rust was identified by the technical staff of the Syngenta plant protection industry, which sent the soybean samples to the Coodetec. Agronomist Francisco Grzesiuk said that the disease affected early plantings and that current climatic conditions (rain and mild temperatures at night) favor the development of the infestation.

Asian rust is caused by the "phakopsora pachyrhizi" fungus and provokes premature leaf loss in soy plants and a reduction in bean weight. The disease is disseminated by the wind, not by the seed. In aggressive outbreaks, there are reports of production losses amounting to around 70%. The disease appeared for the first time in Brazil three years ago, and its identification in the initial stage still poses difficulties for technicians and farmers.

Soybeans are Parana's major crop, responsible for the state's good export performance. In the 2003/2004 harvest, the area in which soybeans were planted attained 3.8 million hectares, with a production forecast of 11.5 million tons, according to data from the State Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply. (DAS)