It is exactly when bean crops enter the final stretch of development that farmers can guarantee the best plant productivity – and also maximum profitability – and make all the investment made up until that moment count. To achieve this, it is necessary to achieve grain uniformity. But as these grains mature first in the lowest part of the plant, and gradually rise, the farmer has to adapt management to balance this development. That's where pre-harvest desiccation comes in.
This practice, carried out a few days before harvest, is a guarantee that the producer will be able to prepare the plants and optimize grain removal, achieve the necessary uniformity and weight of the beans to obtain the best price and also rid the area of weeds. that would harm the next crop. To achieve these results, the farmer must manage at the right time. “Usually when plants reach 80% of their physiological maturation”, explains Agmar Macedo Assis, Market Development professional at BASF.
Desiccation interrupts the plant's evolution, but in a way that continues sending nutrients to the grains that are not completely formed. Thus, they continue to gain weight. “When the farmer does not carry out this management, he ends up harvesting grains with low quality, uneven color and lack of market acceptance, which is highly relevant in the evaluation of the final product”, says Assis, who also warns the producer not to be hasty: “ If you desiccate too early, this final development of the grains is also interrupted.”
Another important point of pre-harvest desiccation is the control of weeds, whether broad-leaved or narrow-leaved. As it is a short-cycle crop, beans are greatly affected by weeds. In this final phase of farming, control reduces the impacts of weed competition, facilitates the harvesting of beans, clears the area for the next crop and makes it difficult for the invaders to form seed banks. BASF presents two solutions for this stage, the Heat® and Finale® herbicides. Each of them is indicated for a specific situation and only one application is enough to achieve the desired effectiveness (suggestion to complete the sentence). In both cases, the action is enhanced if the herbicide is applied with Assist® EC, an adjuvant based on mineral oil that increases the spread, adhesion and absorption of the mixture.
Source: Notícias Agrícolas | Author: BASF
