Leafhopper losses in corn continue to increase as the grain harvest advances across the country.
Now, the Rosario Stock Exchange has recalculated its corn production estimate to 50.5 million tons, 6.5 million tons less than a month ago, with a crop progress of 22% on 7 million hectares implanted.
This decline in the corn crop alerts the government because cultivation is one of the main generators of foreign currency. According to Indec data, in 2023 corn led the export ranking by volume, with 23.9 million tonnes. And it came in second place in terms of revenue, with $6.2 billion.
Now, taking into account the current value of corn, $180 to $190, About $1.2 billion does not enter the country due to the buzzer.
“We were warned about the disease a month ago, butThe high population level of the vector, the leafhopper, is unprecedented even in the provinces where this parasite has been established for years. The level of evolution that is observed week after week in crops is disconcerting,” said the Rosario entity.
The leafhopper is an insect that persistently and propagatively transmits the Spiroplasma kunkelii bacterium, the cause of a disease that has shown a recurrent incidence in the north of the country; In recent weeks, however, the situation has begun to become more complex throughout the agricultural area.
This parasite causes serious yield losses, generating serious economic and production consequences. Its presence manifests itself in the rapid degradation of crops, with a marked decrease in their growth and yield.
“The phenomenon continues to expand and evolve, manifesting strong symptoms in areas far from endemic areas, as in the case of the center of the country. This disease has put corn production under control, as Argentina started sowing late on 65 % of the total cultivated due to problems of lack of water”, explained the Rosario Stock Exchange.
In this sense, Chaco is the most affected province. HUntil a month ago, good results were expected, but beyond repeated checks (up to five applications) and the implementation of all the usual protocols implemented to minimize the impact of the parasite, which is usually order of 5% damage at most levels this year the damage skyrocketed. “There are specific locations, like Gancedo, where 50 to 70% of the cultivated area is lost,” he specified.
Given this adverse context, the National Service for Health and Quality of Agri-Food (Senasa) has accelerated the approval times of insecticides to combat the parasite. It will be carried out according to the procedures of two insecticides whose applications have been submitted and are recommended for the control of the spiroplasma vector insect.
In turn, based on insecticides already authorized for use on corn and with a history of approval for leafhopper control in other countries, Senasa will prepare a list of plant protection products so that they are immediately available.
Furthermore, a working group is being formed for its overall management. Both actions will be key to minimizing impacts.
Source: Clarin
