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Roraima still rust free
By Kieran Gartlan
DTN South America Correspondent
SAO PAULO (DTN)--Roraima, Brazil's northernmost soy producing state, could be all that's left between the U.S. and an attack of the deadly Asian soybean rust disease.
Roraima is Brazil's only soy producing state north of the equator and the only one that has not yet been affected by Asian rust. According to a recent study by the University of Illinois, once the wind-borne fungal disease crosses the equator into the northern hemisphere contamination in the U.S. could be only months away.
The rapidly spreading disease was first discovered in Brazil's southern state of Parana at the end of the 2000-2001 harvest. The following season the disease made its way south to Rio Grande do Sul and north to Mato Grosso and Goias.
This season rust spread to 12 of Brazil's 13 soy producing states and has reached as far north at Maranhao, only 300 miles south of the equator.
All eyes are now on Roraima, where soy planting started 30 to 35 days ago. "We are keeping a close watch, but so far nothing has been spotted. Temperatures are a little too high at the moment, but there is lots of humidity," said Lupercio Ibero do Valle, manager of the 325-acre Esplanada farm, near Roraima's capital Boa Vista.
Rust, which attacks plant foliage resulting in early leaf drop and yield losses, thrives in moist conditions and temperatures of below 82.4 degrees Farenheit.
This year Roraima is seen nearly doubling soy production to around 31,000 tons, with a planted area of 4,050 acres from 16,500 tons and 2,500 acres last year.
"Soy is relatively new to this area and farms are still small but we are seeing very good yields," said Oscar Smiderle, a soy researcher at the government agriculture research body Embrapa.
According to Ibero do Valle, yields at the Esplanada farm should reach around 50 bags, each with 60-kilograms, per hectare this year, which is close to levels produced in the country's top producing state of Mato Grosso. A 50 kilogram bag would weigh about 23 pounds and a hectare is about 0.4 acres.
In fact seed varieties produced in Roraima are so successful that neighboring states and Venezuela, where soil and climate conditions are similar, are beginning to show interest.
This success, however, could bring added risks for the state. "We could lose our remoteness factor and increased seed traffic could speed up the arrival of rust," said Embrapa's Smiderle.
Acccording to Ibero do Valle, if rust does come farmers are prepared.
"Most of the farmers here have land in other states and are familiar with identifying and treating rust," he said.
However, the state's remoteness could work against it as the cost of transporting and stocking rust fungicides is prohibitively expensive. "Most stores only have a very limited stock of rust fungicide as there is no market for it yet," said Smiderle. Fungicides have to come over 660 miles from Mato Grosso, passing through the thick Amazon jungle, and taking several weeks to arrive.
According to Embrapa studies, by the time the fungus is visible to the naked eye it has already infected 5 percent of the crop. If left unchecked this can rise to 80 percent to 100 percent within two to three weeks.
"It's a risky game," said Ibero do Valle. "Let's hope we don't get caught out."
Date: 6/24/04
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