Since February, rural producers in Paran\u00e1 have had another tool to combat the corn leafhopper, a pest that causes damage to corn crops. The CigarrinhaWeb platform centralizes data from monitoring the insect that transmits the corn stunt complex, a set of diseases that leads to loss of productivity, decreased grain quality and, in severe cases, even lodging of the plants.<\/p>\n
Based on this information, producers and technicians will be able to define strategies for managing and controlling the pest. This is because the platform provides a reliable overview of the insect's distribution and population density in Paran\u00e1. The website also stores historical data, creating a database for future research.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe corn leafhopper is a threat to production. Supporting the development of this platform means equipping producers with up-to-date, real-time information. It is an investment in knowledge that translates into a practical tool for defending our production, providing transparency and agility to the monitoring of this pest,\u201d says the president of the Faep System.<\/p>\n
"In pesticides alone, $76 million was spent in 2024. In other words, if the platform has an impact of 10%, this research will have already paid for itself several times over," emphasizes Luiz M\u00e1rcio Spinosa, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation at the Arauc\u00e1ria Foundation.<\/p>\n
The tool, which positions Paran\u00e1 among the states with structured monitoring initiatives for one of the main pests of corn cultivation, is the result of the work of the Paran\u00e1 Network for Agricultural Research and Applied Training \u2013 Corn Stunting Complex (Rede CEM), formed by the Faep System, Arauc\u00e1ria Foundation, Secretariat of Science, Technology and Higher Education (Seti) and Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply (Seab).<\/p>\n
In practice<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe website displays an interactive map showing the location of sticky traps installed in different regions of Paran\u00e1 and the number of insects captured in each one, with weekly updates. The platform consolidates and makes public data that was previously restricted to individual producers or institutions.<\/p>\n
The sticky trap monitoring method is old and well-established. However, Paran\u00e1 stands out as the only state to consolidate and make this data publicly available through an interactive digital platform.<\/p>\n
For years, the Faep System has been working to guide rural producers regarding the corn leafhopper. Even before the CigarrinhaWeb digital platform, this line of work resulted in... booklet \u201cManagement of leafhoppers and stunting diseases in corn cultivation\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\nDeveloped in conjunction with Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, the material provides practical guidance to help farmers identify and control the insect in a didactic way. Free and available on the Faep System website, the publication also includes photos illustrating the symptoms caused by diseases transmitted by the corn leafhopper. In parallel, the organization offers the course "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) \u2013 Corn," focused on the need to monitor crops, with an emphasis on identifying the leafhopper.<\/p>\n
Developed in conjunction with Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, the material provides practical guidance to help farmers identify and control the insect in a didactic way. Free and available on the Faep System website, the publication also includes photos illustrating the symptoms caused by diseases transmitted by the corn leafhopper. In parallel, the organization offers the course "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) \u2013 Corn," focused on the need to monitor crops, with an emphasis on identifying the leafhopper.<\/p>\n