Forestry is an “open-air industry” and, therefore, is exposed to the most varied environmental conditions that can compromise the viability of the activity. The various factors that can affect productivity are classified as follows: determining factors, those inherent to the species, cultivated clone, soil quality, planting stand ; inducing factors, those that can increase the productive potential, such as fertilizers, irrigation, and; reducing factors, those related to pests, diseases and weeds, which can compromise the crop's production potential.

Good cultural management actively acts on these three factors, seeking maximum productivity, however, for this, tools specifically developed to meet each need are needed. At the moment of implantation of a eucalyptus forest, we see the industry selecting the most suitable clones for each production environment, carrying out a good preparation and fertilization of the area to receive the eucalyptus plants, but the weed control until then suffered with the lack of herbicides specifically developed for forest demand. The strong partnership between forestry and the input industry has changed this scenario. Brazilian silviculture has received several new technologies to facilitate the management of weeds in the culture and can innovate its management with logistical, economic and environmental gains.

A production system is like a machine in which we supply inputs and, after processing, we harvest the desired product, but we also harvest undesirable “waste” from the process. The great challenge is to “engineer” increasingly efficient production systems that can reduce negative impacts (waste) and increase the desired production. In the forest production system, especially in the implantation stage, an undesirable product present are weeds in increasing population levels and showing resistance to some herbicides.

As silviculture did not have many options for weed control, post-emergent herbicides have always been the most used options, and, in this modality, it is possible to increase the seed bank, due to the possibility of the present plants entering in the reproductive stage before being controlled. In addition, the use of short-residual agrochemicals associated with numerous applications increases selection pressure and the risk of resistance, making management increasingly expensive and inefficient.

Due to the existing partnership in the search for real solutions, the forestry industry is on the verge of getting rid of this problem. It was possible to develop two new tools that will be able to adequately meet the demand for weed control during implementation with a 50% lower number of applications and a control efficiency above 90%. This important development partnership brings pre-emergent herbicides to the Brazilian Forest System to control the main grass and broadleaf weeds, present in forest production, with good position selectivity for eucalyptus and a control period that can vary from 90 to 120 days. This innovation replaces 4 weed control operations with just two and keeps the crop in conditions of growth and expression of its maximum productive potential.

The technological innovation developed came from the involvement with researchers and consultants working in the forestry area and the research and development sectors of companies producing eucalyptus in Brazil. From the identification of the problem of the lack of alternatives for the control of the weeds, an intense stage of research was initiated to evaluate the adequate dosage, more favorable time of application, main controlled plants and selectivity to the culture. At this stage, more than 100 different treatments were carried out, allocated in all the main producing regions of Brazil, such as Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia and Maranhão.

The results were catalogued, analyzed carefully to obtain a conclusion of the weed management positioning. Through the active ingredient “Pyroxasulfone”, developed in partnership with silviculture for the pre-emergent control of weeds, there will be, gradually, a decrease in the soil “seed bank” and a reduction in the selection pressure and the emergence of species. resistant, in addition to ensuring a forest without weed competition and with lower fire risks, therefore more competitive.

This development and partnership does not stop at this stage, as we seek continuous improvement. Better tools, better applicability, more effective results and increasing productivity. In addition to weed control, the development seeks to contribute to the management of pests, such as caterpillars and the terrible shell psyllid ; it also seeks alternatives to control ants and other demands that may be identified. Our belief is: “We believe that, through an ethical, humble and engaged conduct, we can exceed and surprise the expectations of our stakeholders”. Thus, production will continue to take consistent steps towards international competitiveness and environmental balance.