Sustainable Integrated Crop Management to Delay Disease Progression and Reduce Fungicide Use

Overview

This research-driven solution addresses the temporal evolution of crop diseases across different productive systems by promoting sustainable integrated management practices. The core hypothesis is that combining germplasm selection, crop structure, cover crops, crop rotations, balanced fertilization strategies, and integrated pest management can delay disease progression in crops. By slowing disease development, growers can reduce the number of foliar fungicide applications needed, lowering input costs and supporting more environmentally responsible production.

Technical specifications

Key components of the integrated management system:

• Cover crops and crop rotations: Act as a physical barrier that slows the upward splash-dispersed progress of pathogens from lower to upper leaves, as demonstrated with soybean brown spot
• Germplasm and crop structure: Strategic selection and arrangement of crop varieties to reduce disease pressure
• Fertilization strategies: Balanced nutrient management to support plant vigor and disease tolerance
• Pest management integration: Coordinated practices aligned with economic damage thresholds rather than calendar-based spraying

Validation approach:

• Comparison of producer-applied management (MAP) versus integrated sustainable management (ISM) across soybean fields in northern Buenos Aires province
• Disease progress curves correlated with grain yield to quantify agronomic impact
• Fungicide application counts measured against economic damage thresholds for observed diseases

Technology readiness level

The approach has been validated through field studies in northern Buenos Aires province, where combined cover crops and crop rotations have demonstrated reduced temporal evolution of soybean brown spot and fewer foliar fungicide applications. Future validation will expand the analysis to associate the area under the disease progress curve with grain yield across multiple agronomic management systems, refining recommendations for broader crop systems and regions.