The main producer of vegetables in the state, with 63 thousand hectares of fruit and 22.5 thousand hectares of vegetables, the Serra region records growth in the use of plasticulture each year. According to the regional technical assistant at Emater/RS-Ascar, agronomist Enio Ângelo Todeschini, it is a universal technique, especially in Israel and Spain, which brings great benefits. For him, plasticulture is “production insurance”, although the high cost and doubts about management are still the main obstacles to its adoption.
In order to provide information to farmers, Emater/RS-Asar promoted, this Wednesday and Thursday (15 and 16/03), two Field Afternoons on Protected Cultivation of Parreiras, in Nova Pádua. And next Tuesday and Wednesday (21 and 22/03), two other field afternoons in the municipality will focus on the cultivation of tomato plants in plastic culture.
According to Todeschini, the use of plasticulture in the region began with the cultivation of strawberries in the ground in low tunnels and mulching (black plastic covering the bed), then moving to cultivation in substrate in bags on benches in a protected environment. Currently, 250 ha, that is, 100% of the strawberry cultivated area is protected.
Just over a decade ago, the use of plasticulture arrived in viticulture, on an experimental basis. Today, it is already known that the greatest benefit for viticulture is the control of the main plant disease: downy mildew or mufa, in addition to protection from the elements. One thousand three hundred hectares of vineyards are covered in the Serra, basically for the production of table grapes. “Another application that is very popular today is anti-hail screens, mainly in the production of apples, plums and peaches, which already covers five thousand hectares in the region”, highlights Todeschini.
In horticulture, plasticulture, associated with the use of other technologies, such as localized irrigation/fertigation, is also applied to several crops, mainly in the cultivation of lettuce and tomato. “In our region, as we have a harsh and quite extensive winter, the use of plasticulture extends the cultivation period, which can begin at the end of winter and continue until autumn, in addition to making it possible to anticipate the production of seedlings in a very safe way. ”, he assesses.
According to Todeschini, tomato cultivation in protected environments has grown significantly in the last two years. One of the reasons was the late frosts that occurred in September 2015, which caused damage to the vineyards and left farmers with no income forecast. Given this, many have chosen to grow tomatoes in these areas, and as it is an extremely expensive crop, dependent on cutting-edge technology and susceptible to damage caused by pests and diseases, farmers have been expanding the use of plasticulture in this crop.
Emater/RS-Ascar, in addition to promoting activities throughout the year in several municipalities in the region, such as lectures, workshops, field days and meetings that deal with the use of plasticulture, also prepares credit projects, both for funding and investment. . “Emater has been encouraging, supporting and providing knowledge to farmers about plasticulture, its benefits, costs, risks and management methods, among others. Encouraging protected cultivation aims to increase productivity and keep young people in rural areas with higher income”, concludes Todeschini.
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