Recently, the Brazilian Environmental Protection Agency Ibama issued new regulations to adjust the use of pesticides containing the active ingredient thiamethoxam. The new rules do not ban the use of the pesticides altogether, but prohibit inaccurate spraying of large areas on various crops by aircraft or tractors because the spray tends to drift and affect bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem.
For specific crops such as sugar cane, Ibama recommends the use of thiamethoxam containing pesticides in precision application methods such as drip irrigation to avoid drift risks. Agronomic experts say drip irrigation can safely and efficiently apply pesticides to sugarcane crops, It is used to control major pests such as Mahanarva fimbriolata, termites Heterotermes tenuis, sugarcane borers (Diatraea saccharalis) and sugarcane weevil (Sphenophorus levis). Less impact on crops.
The new regulations make it clear that thiamethoxam pesticides can no longer be used for factory chemical treatment of sugarcane breeding materials. However, after the sugar cane is harvested, pesticides can still be applied to the soil through drip irrigation systems. To avoid affecting pollinator insects, it is recommended that 35-50 days be left between the first drip irrigation and the next.
In addition, the new rules will allow the use of thiamethoxam pesticides on crops such as corn, wheat, soybeans and sugar cane, directly applied to soil or foliage, and for seed treatment, with specific conditions such as dosage and expiration date to be further clarified.
Experts pointed out that the use of precision medicine such as drip irrigation can not only better control diseases and pests, but also ensure operational safety and reduce human input, which is a sustainable and efficient new technology. Compared with spray operation, drip irrigation avoids the potential harm of liquid drift to the environment and personnel, and is more environmentally friendly and economical and practical on the whole.
Post time: Apr-30-2024