The municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul, biggest tobacco industrial hub in the
world, was the venue for the most important technical and scientific event of the
tobacco supply chain, in October 2017. Agro-Phyto 2017 was promoted by the Co-
operation Center for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (Coresta), jointly with
the Interstate Tobacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco), with an intense technical and
scientific program at the central auditorium of the University of Santa Cruz do Sul
(Unisc). The studygroupsonagronomyandphytopathologyheldmeetings fromOc-
tober 22 through 26, bringing together scientists from22 countries.
The last event of this type in the Country had been held in 2005, equally in Santa
Well
looked
after crop
Coresta brought together themost renowned
authorities in tobacco agronomy andphytopathology in
SantaCruz do Sul, inOctober 2017, witha record audience
Cruz do Sul, and was marked by its record num-
ber of participants. In 2017, the success of this
promotion had its repeat, with the presentation
of 72 research papers, 60 of them consisting in
oral presentations and 12 in poster format. Agro-
Phyto participants also visited fields in three rural
properties in the region, where technicians, ag-
ronomic engineers, geneticists, researchers, uni-
versity professors and professionals linked to the
sector had a chance for a close watch on aspects
related to tobacco farming, especially the use of
conservation techniques, like direct planting.
During the countryside visits, the delegates
of the Agro-Phyto 2017 meeting had the oppor-
tunity to see for themselves the different grow-
ing systems, curing units, production techniques,
seedling management, reforestation-oriented ini-
tiatives, farmers’ health and safety, like the use of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), appropri-
ate harvest clothing and proper disposal of empty
pesticide packaging. The program featured three
events: a welcome dinner, promoted on Sunday,
Lula Helfer
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