Edition - January 2024 by Revista Aapresid

TOPICAL NEWS

04 EDITORIAL You will keep on coming back to the field. J. L. Zorzin

NOTAS DESTACADAS BIOECONOMY

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An Argentine company, leader in sugar and paper production, launches innovative sugarcane-based products

MACHINERY AND AGTECH The four pillars for technology adoption

70 PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Site-specific agriculture: how to know which plots are the right ones?

TOPICAL NEWS

There is a time for everything

SCIENCE AND AGRIBUSINESS

Biostimulants take control of the prime time in the farming sector

Argentina: epicenter of the International Oilseed Producers Dialogue Aapresid at the COP 28

A digital solution to optimize financing decisions for next season

104

Checklist of safe application

INTERNATIONAL

Argentina: epicenter of the International Oilseed Producers Dialogue

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Solutions "Made in Chile" for seed enhancement

MACHINERY AND AGTECH

How an unfavorable context motivated agribusiness digitization

PESTS MANAGEMENT

The spotlight on corn crops and diseases during El Niño phenomenon

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION

108

Hydroponics: a "millennial" and "universal" alternative production system

NOTEWORTHY ASSOCIATE

120

LIVESTOCK FARMING

126

Meat with passport: traceability as a market tool

The agronomist that challenged destiny and sowed restless, resilience-full DNA

EDITORIAL You will keep on coming back to the field Artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital platforms, blockchain, apps, simulation modeling, satellite images and drones are already part of our daily life to a greater or lesser extent. AgTechs arrived to evolve farming management and the way we deal with productive processes. Far from replacing farmers, the sudden intrusion of technology in agribusiness has strengthened them. New companies have emerged, new jobs have been created and new specialties have been developed in the field, even within this world we call AgTech. Such is its value that they are part of the academic education of new professionals. If there is something that processes digitization have brought us, is the capacity to optimize what we cannot get back: time. These tools provide us with multiple possibilities ranging from buying supplies and/or online products to remote warning and monitoring of pests, predict yields, make an environmental description of an

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unknown plot and collect its history data from a 10 year or even two decades in the past, and the list can go on. Moreover, it enables us to "see" the problems through images at any time and in real time on our mobile devices. This has not only allowed us to be more efficient when performing directed observations, but it has also helped with site-specific management of inputs. Thus, every plot can have a medical history and can be traceable in order to understand how a product has been made. The role of the consultant is increasingly acquiring paramount importance. Any of these technologies demand an unavoidable and irreplaceable quality: interpretation. Currently, there is an overwhelming capability to generate and collect data, which has grown exponentially and, in many cases, we can obtain it as input technology. However, the state of expression of this investment and, therefore, the expected economic result, depends on data and information processing to produce a diagnosis,

and finally, understanding the input-product response model to make a suggestion. At this point we may find the Achilles heel regarding the level of adoption of new technologies, where it seems that the supply of technological tools surpasses the demand. To picture this, here is an example. Think about the amount of information generated by yield mapping or sensors when measuring soil quality, every time with smaller pixels. You can set the environment almost limitlessly. Nevertheless, for this to be transformed into major output potential or to optimize input usage, and therefore, reducing environmental impact and increasing yields, these models should be calibrated for each environment, where resources are optimal for every one of them. AgTech's input requires, essentially, quality agronomy with a solid foundation so as to avoid the product from becoming conventional, and so precision owed to new tools do not get lost in generality. It is in the production of models as AgTech's input and in the interpretation of an environmental, economic and even the farmer’s emotional context, where the role of the agronomist becomes relevant. Such specific system needs to be nourished with precise and detailed information, the difference with those "fixed gear" traditional systems in space (dose) and in time (right time vs. calendar) becomes diluted; and mistakenly, it could be

concluded that said technology did not contribute at all, when in reality there was a deficit regarding data and professional knowledge. It is imperative to diminish the "by default" to a minimum. The speed at which every one of these technologies have adapted is related with the farmer's need and the capability of said technology to solve problems. Many successful AgTechs have been developed by the main characters of farming production themselves, such as farmers or agronomists. To recognize the problem, to have the practicality to solve it, to understand how the farmer or the consultant thinks, to provide a good after-sale service and to help the user with daily update progress are key aspects. In many cases, users' suggestions and the back and forth from one side to the other of the counter has led many companies to modify or adjust certain aspects of their digital technologies, making them more intuitive and powerful. That is why you will keep on coming back to the field, and you will do it much more often and better. Because, to major efficiency, major operational capacity, more time to provide services, or less time to do the same and devote the rest to whatever you enjoy the most. Time. Quality of life.

José Luis Zorzin Assistant Deputy Director REM

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LAYOUT AND DESIGN

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The publication of personal opinions expressed by collaborators and interviewees does not imply said opinions are necessarily shared by the Aapresid management. The total or partial reproduction of the contents without the express authorization of the publisher is prohibited.

TOPICAL NEWS

There is a time for everything Dear readers, this time is our turn to make a kind of "seizure" of the Topical news column in order to conduct a very well-deserved recognition of all the people that took part in this institutional magazine and that are currently in the front lines of this Herculean task that is running the farming sector from the Bioeconomy Secretary of the Nation. Among its objectives, itthe seeking for transformation of our productive systems into more sustainable, efficient and technological models. Today, we thank them for all of these shared years in the program and in the Aapresid magazine. As many of you already know, Nicolás Bronzovich, current Plant Production Director of the Bioeconomy Secretary, performed as Deputy Director of the Prospective Program up until August 12, 2023. Said program was in charge of the implementation and management of Aapresid's magazine. During his involvement in the program, Nicolás aka "Bronzo", as we usually call him, attained a coveted dream, yet elusive for most: to leave a mark. Tenacious, committed, supportive and with a wide "prospective vision", he led a record-breaking Aapresid Congress. Moreover, he was a team player who provided

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equal opportunities for everyone to participate, to speak their minds, to discuss and to make decisions, proving himself a born leader, because that is what leading is about, isn't it?

We are not only referring to his ability to discern the institution's prospective and the production model promoted by Aapresid, but he was also convincing and meaningful enough so as to be where he is today: "playing in the major league". It makes us so proud, both as an institution and as the Prospective team, that an agricultural producer committed to his vocation, the environment, sustainability and, above all, to other farmers and colleagues of the sector is currently participating in the decisionmaking we trust will lead us to a promising future for every Argentinian people. We are sure that "Bronzo" will leave it all out on the field, as he has always done, and that deserves all of our respect and admiration.

referring to the one and only Jorgelina Traut, presenter and journalist that has captivated us with her "voice" in several radio and television programs. And when we say "voice", we are not only talking about her timbre or tone, which are lovely and resounding, but also that her voice represents a significant part of the community. With its distinctive color, her voice was the means so that the message we wanted to convey reached all Aapresid magazine readers. That was the reason why we wanted her to be part of our team and, even though we now feel it was for such a short time, there were 21 columns where she could convey the message of our associates, by understanding and transmitting it better than anyone.

On the other side, we have our Topical news columnist, from whom we "seizure" this space and who we also feel very proud of. We are

Nicolás Bronzovich, current Plant Production Director of the Bioeconomy Secretary, performed as Deputy Director of the Prospective Program up until August 12, 2023.

Jorgelina Traut, presenter and journalist. With its distinctive color, her voice was the means so that the message we wanted to convey reached all Aapresid magazine readers. Currently acting as the spokeswoman of the Bioeconomy Secretary.

One of her programs, Campo Minado, co-hosted also by our honorary president, "Pilu" Giraudo, had a song by Rocío Araujo as its main theme song, in which lyrics you can read: "Love, truth and honesty: the reasons for my steps". I think nothing defines Jorgelina better than this phrase, as her work is always founded on a deep love not only because of her profession, but also because of the sector she talks about and defends by communicating the truth always under the banner of honesty. Today, Jorgelina has a new role as the spokeswoman of the Bioeconomy Secretary, and we could not be any happier. Who but her to be the spokesperson of good news? Finally, we have not yet mentioned that today "Bronzo" and Jorgelina are the friends assuming new roles at the Bioeconomy Secretary. We also have our dear honorary presidents Pedro Vigneau and María Beatriz "Pilu" Giraudo, who are currently the Undersecretary of Fortalecimiento

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Productivo y Sustentable and the Vicepresident at the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA) respectively. There is only left to say that there is a time for everything, and now is time for them to contribute with their grain of sand from somewhere else. We wish both of them the very best in this new phase. See you soon, friends. Thank you for being a part of this magazine and our institution. Aapresid is and always will be your home.

Prospective team Paola Díaz Carolina Meiller Rodrigo Rosso Antonella Fiore Federico Rolle Ma. Victoria Ribecca

SCIENCE CIENCIA AND AGRIBUSINESS Y AGRO

Biostimulants take control of the prime time in the farming sector With a market that reached US$3.4 billion in 2023 and intends to triple by 2030, biostimulants are revolutionizing agriculture by improving productivity, stress resistance and sustainability.

Modern agriculture requires a review and an extension of its practices and business models, incorporating opportunities originated in several sectors and adjacent value chains–including the biological-based industry–in a circular economy strategy. The search for new technologies and means to boost crops productivity by improving the efficiency in the use of resources like water and fertilizers, is critical to guarantee food security. At the same time, it is essential to preserve soil quality and provide business opportunities to farmers.

By Hugo Permingeat Aapresid’s Technical Prospective Committee

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Biological-based products, such as biostimulants, are introduced as a sustainable and efficient technology or as a complement to phytosanitary products, their synthetic equivalents. This helps to improve the efficiency in the use of nutrients and to ensure crop output stability. Many different natural substances and

BIOESTIMULANTES

chemical byproducts from natural or synthetic compounds, as well as beneficial microorganisms, are categorized as plant biostimulants. Among them are: i- humic substances, ii- protein hydrolysates derived from plants or animals, iii- macro- and microalgae extracts, iv- silicon, varbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and vi- plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) belonging to Azotobacter, Azospirillum and Rhizobium spp. genera (Rouphael et al., 2020).

Although biostimulants cannot be defined as fertilizers since they do not supply nutrients directly into plants, they can be considered additives that enhance nutrient absorption by assisting soil and plants metabolic processes. This entails improvements regarding plant growth and an increase in tolerance to different types of stress. However, the definition of biostimulant is still not precise enough, since it is a wide category that includes beneficial microorganisms and other

organic and inorganic additives. On the other hand, the term "biofertilizer" is usually used to refer to the use of symbiotic organisms (Meddich, 2023). Biostimulants market has been growing year after year. In 2023, biostimulants’ active ingredients market, which includes amino acids, algae extracts, humic substances and microbial amendments, reached 3.4 billion dollars, and it is expected to triple by 2030. Moreover, the investigation focused on these inputs has generated more than 1000 scientific articles published in the last decade under the search for the term "plant biostimulants". Similarly, multiple additional articles can be found in Scopus database by using related words or terms, such as humic substances, seaweed, microalgae extracts, silicon, mycorrhizal fungi or PGPR (www.scopus.com). Climate change is generating an alarming increase in biotic stress, such as drought, salinity, abrupt changes in temperature, poor nutrient soils, the presence of heavy metals and flooding. These abiotic stresses have serious consequences, leading to a decrease in productivity in agricultural lands, affecting both developed and developing countries, and being key features in crop losses. The employment of management practices and strategies that enable plants to endure these stresses is a pressing need, and aims at improving agricultural production and soil fertility.

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In response to this critical situation, food and agricultural sustainability, in addition to natural resources management, are increasingly winning support by integrating environmental health, economic profitability and social equity. This can be accomplished through the design of biological integrated agroecosystems that rely, mainly, on soil nutrient cycles and water availability. Although chemical-based inputs meet some of these aspects, biological-based ones are attracting more attention. Thus, biological-based agriculture, permaculture and agroecology could perform vital roles to ensure a sustainable agricultural production in a changing climate setting. Within this framework, biostimulants can promote plant

growth, improve soil structure, aeration, water balance and microbial activity, and also protect plants against abiotic stress (Ma et al., 2022; Meddich, 2023). Plants can overcome abiotic stress through several mechanisms, namely, improving water efficiency by reducing water losses, adapting morphologically and anatomically, activating enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, modulating phytohormones, regulating stress response genes and stress-related signaling molecules, conducting osmotic, water and ionic adjustments, and detoxifying heavy metals. Somehow, biostimulants participate in the plant’s physiology by relating and promoting some of these processes or mechanisms. Biostimulants can be used at every stage of the crop production process, including seed treatments, foliar spray during growth and also in harvested products. It has been reported that several biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating germination, increasing metabolism, boosting photosynthesis, improving soil nutrients absorption and increasing plants productivity. Plant biostimulants can be used for seed treatments, soil preparation–powders, granules or solutions added to the soil–or as liquid products for foliar applications. Those containing humic substances and nitrogen compounds are commonly applied directly into the soil, while plant and seaweed extracts are usually used for foliar purposes. It is also possible to introduce them in the irrigation

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Biological-based agriculture, permaculture and agroecology could perform vital roles to ensure a sustainable agricultural production in a changing climate setting.

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system, allowing the plant to absorb them through the water. Another option is to use biostimulants in the form of biomass or seaweed powder, applying them directly into the soil before sowing to enrich the substrate with nutrients. These products are usually presented as extracts ready for use or as powder to prepare an aqueous solution. Biostimulants in soil tend to affect the root structure and increase the ability to absorb nutrients, among other features. On the other hand, foliar extracts protect the plant against biotic and abiotic stress. It is advisable to apply biostimulants in the morning, when stomata are open and the absorption rate is at its maximum levels (Ma et al., 2022; Meddich, 2023). One novel way to administer biostimulants into the field is through encapsulation. This technique could be an excellent solution to counter its nature-related issues, since they are easily biodegradable and tend to drainage through the soil losing many compounds and becoming inaccessible for plants. Therefore, encapsulation seems to be a convenient and cost-effective way to increase biostimulants' stability and durability on the field (Jiménez-Arias et al., 2023). Among biostimulants several categories are the microbial, which are composed of microorganisms, such as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and/or microbes that stimulate nutrient absorption and produce secondary metabolites, siderophores, hormones

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and organic acids. These microorganisms engage in nitrogen fixation, provide stress tolerance and improve crops quality and output. Although multiple studies provide persuasive support to biostimulants' positive effects based on PGPR in plants, there is little information about modes of action and key signaling pathways, such as plant hormone regulation, pathogenesis-related protein expression, antioxidants and osmolytes.

One novel way to administer biostimulants into the field is through encapsulation. This technique could be an excellent solution to counter its naturerelated issues.

Kaushal et al., (2023) focused their attention toward molecular pathways activated with PGPR-based biostimulants facing biotic and abiotic issues. Moreover, they underline features caused by genetic modifications, which leads to physiological responses similar to PGPR application on plants, transferring microorganisms’ capabilities directly to the plant genes–transferring the "chip" in microorganisms into plants. Within this conceptual framework, Sanjuan et al., (2023) suggest to name them "plant probiotics".

Thus, biostimulants can be classified according to their function: Biofertilizers: Involved in plant nutrition, nutrients fixation, etc. Phytostimulants: Microorganisms, fungus and bacteria in the rhizosphere or endophytes, that can influence plants growth and development by affecting plant hormone metabolisms through phytohormones production–auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins–or by interfering with endophyte hormones homeostasis. Bioprotectors: Participate in the induction of defense mechanisms against abiotic stress. Bioremediators: Participate in contaminated soils remediation. Biocontrol agents: Use to suppress pests or crop diseases.

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Microalgae potential Microalgae represent a new source of plant biostimulants, making up to 40% of the total biostimulants market–including macroalgae– according to a report by the European Commission. Macroalgae, also known as seaweeds, are multicellular organisms found in freshwater and marine systems, usually classified into three categories: brown, green and red algae. The second group is represented by microalgae, which includes blue and green algae. Despite the great interest in developing and trying new seaweed extracts as biostimulants, there are few products in the market. This is due to the high variability of raw material–age of the tissue, season, time of collection–that restricts the control of biostimulants chemical composition based on generated algae extracts. This variability increases the difficulty regarding composition standardization and modes of action identification.

In recent years, the scientific community along with private companies have emphasized the production of microalgae, also known as "internal algae". Although it is very well established that green and blue-green algae produce several bioactive and active signaling molecules in agricultural crops, their specific applications in plant science are still in their first stages. As a result, microalgae-based biostimulant exploitation as a sustainable means to improve crop production is essential to recover environmental sustainability in the agricultural sector (Colla and Rouphael, 2020).

in agricultural crops. Data show that microalgaebased biostimulants can be an alternative for crop protection and plants growth regulators, by playing a key role in the increase of crop production, output and health. Microalgae provide natural solutions to improve soil and crop quality, standing out because of their high potential in agricultural application, and their advantages over traditional practices used in this field.

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Gonzalez-Perez et al., (2022) provide a review of the state of the art of microalgae-based biostimulants and study the factors supporting its use when dealing with biotic and abiotic stress

It is important to consider that microalgae biostimulant production–based either on biomass or active compounds–will need further development regarding more efficient crop techniques to increase productivity, in addition to precision conservation technologies and general cost reduction to generate profitable processes that allow larger scale expansion. Moreover, there are other issues, such as the need to lower production costs to promote scalability, and the importance to keep on investigating in order to understand biostimulants' specific molecular responses in crops and maximizing their benefits. In spite of microalgae's great potential in the agricultural sector, many species are yet to be fully explored, and additional research addressing biostimulator effects is required, namely the significant increase in plant growth through the application of live microalgae, aqueous cell extracts and dry biomass generation. Also, those studies considering several microalgae species could make production systems more economically viable.

production systems in organic and economically sustainable crops within more resilient agroecosystems. Besides, plant biostimulants could set the basis for a large-scale sustainable agriculture, boosted by the biological-based industry. Even though plant biostimulants seem to be a new category and a potential complement to synthetic fertilizers, it is a pressing matter that the research community and the fertilizer industry can elucidate molecular and physiological mechanisms that will facilitate the distribution of these bioproducts in the agricultural sector. The combination of phenomics (phenotype of high yield plants) and genomic tools (next-generation sequencing) widens the perspectives for the creation of effective formulations concerning biostimulants to satisfy the emerging needs in crops.

In the following years, it is expected that plant biostimulants–natural, synthetic and microbial inoculants–will contribute meaningfully to

REFERENCIAS

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Check the references by entering www.aapresid.org.ar/blog/revista-aapresid-n-215

INTERNATIONAL

Argentina: epicenter of the International Oilseed Producers Dialogue Within the framework of the last Aapresid Congress, Argentina was the host of the XXV edition of the International Oilseed Producers Dialogue (IOPD), where the most influential voices of the oilseed sector resounded worldwide.

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The International Oilseed Producers Dialogue (IOPD) gather oilseed producer association representatives from major grower countries, such as soybean, sunflower, canola and rape. This space of debate involves the active participation of entities from Argentina, United States, Paraguay, Brazil, Australia, Canada, France, Uruguay, United Kingdom and Germany, consolidating its position as one of the main spaces to address global issues and tendencies that are relevant to the oilseed sector. Moreover, it presents the novelties of each country member in special dedicated segments. The agenda of the meeting also includes presentations from invited speakers, who addressed topics like global market tendencies, new technological/innovative developments and current issues in the geopolitical agrifood agenda. Since this space of dialogue represents a strategic point in Aapresid's international relations, in 2023, the institution’s International Program proposed for Argentina to be the headquarters of the event. To accomplish this, the institution worked in the arrangements together with the Asociación Argentina del Girasol (ASAGIR) and the Asociación de la cadena de la Soja Argentina (ACSOJA).

NOS ACOMPAÑAN

About the XXV annual IOPD meeting The event took place in Rosario city within the framework of the XXXI Aapresid Congress, and involved the participation of representatives from several international entities, including the American Soybean Association (ASA), the U.S. Canola Association and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC); the Soybean Producers Association of Paraguay (APS in Spanish) and the Paraguayan Grains & Oilseed Traders Association (CAPECO in Spanish); the Associação dos Produtores de Soja e Milho (Aprosoja) and the Associação dos Produtores de Soja e Milho de Mato Grosso (Aprosoja Mato Grosso) from Brazil. Furthermore, there were representatives from the Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF); the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) and the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO); the Fédération française des producteurs d'oléagineux et de protéagineux (FOP) from France; the Mesa Tecnológica de Oleaginosos (MTO) from Uruguay; the National Farmers Union (NFU) from United Kingdom; and the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) from Germany. Representing Argentina were distinctive members from Aapresid, Acsoja and Asagir. The agenda included presentations from each country, addressing novelties related to technological advances and issues that the sector is facing in every domestic context. These presentations were supported by an agenda centered on the challenges that the oilseed industry is currently dealing with, such as policies and regulation, market access, and the future of the industry.

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During welcoming remarks, the President of Aapresid, Marcelo Torres, emphasized the importance of the participation of every agent in the agrifood supply chain in the debate, aiming at improving production and providing consumers with more sustainable products. Under this premise, considering the development and issues of the sector at domestic levels and current global discussions, the debate proposed by Aapresid was conducted through three panels: 1

1. "Insights on the European Union Deforestation-free Regulation":

This panel included the participation of: Viktoria Lovenberg, Head of the Economy and Trade Section of the Delegation of the European Union in Argentina; Sabine Papendieck, managing partner of the international market consulting company ESTRATECO; Sonia Tomassone, International Trade consultant of the Paraguayan Grains & Oilseed Traders Association (CAPECO in Spanish); Gustavo Idigoras, President of the Argentine Edible Oil Association (CIARA in Spanish). The moderator of the panel was Pilu Giraudo, Honorary president of Aapresid. The meeting permitted to meet first-hand the details of this deforestation regulation and main actors’ outlooks from countries exporting products reached by said regulation.

2. "Oilseed Market: global trends and outlook":

This second panel involved the participation of Emilce Terré, Head of the Department of Information and Economic Studies of Rosario Board of Trade; Victor Castro, Executive Director of the Argentine Biofuel Chamber; and Fernando Correa Urquiza, Regional Head of Oilseed for South & West Latin America at Louis Dreyfus Company. This panel was moderated by Pedro Vigneau, Honorary president of Aapresid.

3. "Technology trends": This last panel involved the presence of Martin Mariani, Global Seed & Trait Manager at Bioceres; Sebastián Bravo, Business Management of Nuseed Carinata; and Patrick Adam, Executive Director of the Corn Bioethanol Chamber. This panel was moderated by Manuel Ron, co-founder of Bio 4.

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Outcome of the meeting and opportunities for the sector As it was previously mentioned, the proposed agenda sought to draw attention to the issues faced by producer countries contributing to the increasing food demand and, at the same time, mitigate the activity's negative impacts on the environment. In line with previous editions, the closure of the event included the members' approval of a resolution. In the XXV edition of the IOPD, the resolution highlighted the following main points: Innovation and science's primary role to achieve global energy and food security. In that regard, regulatory policies must promote innovation and guarantee producers the access to an entire combination of tools, such as biotechnology, crop protection products and precision agriculture, among others. The access to new technologies enables producers to tackle crop yield threats, address mitigation and adaptation to climate change and satisfy global food demand. A far-reaching liberalization of the market is needed in order to satisfy food and renewable energy necessities. It emphasizes the need of a major liberalization of the market, including a restored agricultural program by the WTO, an improved Codex Alimentarius, and a sciencebased, proportionate to risk commitment to health and phytosanitary measures. Therefore, it is recognized the importance in taking into account different regulatory frameworks between production and consumption areas, specially between Europe and its trade partners.

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The availability of fuel, fertilizers and other inputs has been volatile, which is a great threat for food production. Non-sciencebased proposals pretending to artificially limit or restrict fertilizer or phytosanitary usage in certain production areas, endanger farmers economic viability and directly affect worldwide food availability. It is recommended to reject arbitrary and politically motivated efforts to manage and/or limit the use of fertilizer or phytosanitary, in favor of result-based approaches. Governments should reinforce their international commitments with policies supported by solid scientific evidence and that do not distort the market. There are no unique solutions to solve climatic or production issues. Producers gathered at IOPD shared the goal of satisfying the increasing food demand, to be recognized as solution providers in the fight against climate change and to guarantee more sustainable production systems, as well as constant progress in agriculture. Any regulation implemented by the government and international organizations to fight against climate change should be reasonable, reachable and science-based.

This new edition of the dialogue was a great opportunity for our institution to display our principles in front of producers from all around the world, with whom we shared the objective of satisfying the increasing food demand worldwide and to be part of the solution to food and energy security globally. This event was an opportunity to be recognized as primary actors in the fight against climate change, by promoting more sustainable production systems based on science and net innovation.

INTERNATIONAL

Aapresid at the COP 28: "Our productive models in South America already set us as leaders in low-carbon footprint production" This was stated by Marcelo Torres, President of Aapresid, after participating in the last United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as Conference of the Parties (COP). The institution highlighted the primary role of agriculture in the creation of sustainable production models.

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Marcelo Torres, President of Aapresid, and Mailén Saluzzio, manager of the International Program, attended the COP as panelists and on debate sessions arranged by prominent organizations.

What is COP? The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the decision-making body within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty signed by 198 countries that establishes the guidelines to face the issues caused by climate change. The COP takes place annually and involves the participation of the countries' official delegations, technical experts and representatives of nongovernmental organizations, and it is where unanimous decisions aiming at reaching common goals in the fight against climate change are taken.

The first summit was conducted in Berlin, Germany, in 1995, and the 28° edition took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12, 2023. The Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015 and is the main treaty within the framework of the UNFCCC. This document establishes as a goal avoiding global average temperature to rise over 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and also seeks to promote countries' additional efforts to avoid global temperature to rise over 1.5°C.

The most notable milestones of the COP28 The COP28 stood out due to high levels of attendance, since it gathered more than 80 thousand people, among public and private actors, organizations, academics and representatives of the society. This edition concluded with an unprecedented call to governments to "abandon" fossil fuels–as a vital step to stop greenhouse gas emissions–and restrict global warming.

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Moreover, the first Global Stocktake (GST) was agreed, a review of the progress that member States were conducting in relation to the Paris Agreement in 2015. This first evaluation of climate actions revealed that national commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not enough and unsuitable, indicating that we are not on the right path to accomplish the goal of restricting the rising temperatures to 1.5°C.

Aapresid participation The Argentine No-Till Farmers Association (AAPRESID) was actively involved in several presentations and debates at the COP28, conveying the voice of the farmer to positioning Argentinian and South American agriculture as a strategic ally in the development of productive models capable of contributing to food security, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation. Since 1998, Aapresid has been present at climate change global summits. But, in comparison with previous editions, the institution could broaden participation opportunities after obtaining the status of Observer organization at

the Conference. With this new status, Aapresid can not only attend as an observer to official negotiations, but it can also join the constituent farmers group, a platform intended for influencing negotiations between States and proposing events in the official program of the summit. During their trip to Dubai, Marcelo Torres, President of the institution, and Mailén Saluzzio, manager of the International Program, attended as panelists in more than six events and debate sessions arranged by prominent organizations, namely, the Department of Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, the Development Bank of Latin

America and the Caribbean (CAF), International Fertilizer Association (IFA), 4 per 1000 initiative, the Southern Producing Country Group (GPS in Spanish), Nutrien, Syngenta Group and BASF. Moreover, it was the first time that Aapresid organized its own event within the pavilion of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), bringing together important national and international people. This panel included the participation of Rattan Lal, distinguished professor at Ohio State University, Goodwill Ambassador at IICA, World Food Prize 2020; Natasha Santos, Head of Global Stakeholders Affairs & Strategic Partnerships at Bayer; Corina Lehmann, Director of Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Argentina; Marcelo Torres, President of Aapreesid; and Mailén Saluzzio, manager of the International Program at Aapresid, as moderator. This panel highlighted the importance of

broadening collaborative innovation networks by building alliances between farmers, researchers, technological companies and the community, adapting productive systems to the environmental and cultural aspects of every region, and creating learning societies. On the other side, the meeting agenda carried out by Aapresid included meeting with foreign chambers and producer associations, founding agencies, international organizations, companies, representatives from the scientific field, and officers of the Argentinian public sector. Similarly, during their stay in the United Arab Emirates, Aapresid representatives had the chance to develop an agenda of bilateral meetings with officers and Emirate authorities, namely, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) and the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), among others.

The role of agriculture on climate change negotiations

At the 28° edition of the COP, the most important milestone in agriculture was the signing of the "Declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems, and climate action", driven by the Emirate presidency and signed by 152 countries.

change; and on the second hand, it mentioned explicitly, for the first time in a document signed by States, matters of health. Although the text is not legally binding, it sets a precedent that could influence future climatic negotiations.

This document stands out because of two key points: on the one hand, the government's commitment to integrate food and agriculture systems into their national plans against climate

Therefore, these commitments were not reflected on COP conclusions, especially since they did not get negotiators to agree a roadmap for the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate

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action on agriculture and food security (SSJW), the convention's single line of work that addresses the challenges of the sector related to climate change adaptation and mitigation. As recognized by the Farmers Constituency–a constituent group of producers that represent farmers' voice in official negotiations–the lack of progress in negotiations on agriculture and food security, together with the absence of acknowledgement of the farmers' role in the process of UNFCCC, make up missed opportunities for the worldwide community in the fight against climate change. Even when official negotiations on agriculture did not show great levels of progress, it was observed a major level of agreement between private and private-public actors, meaning, between producer associations, non-governmental organizations, companies of the sector, among others. As an example, during interactions with producers from other countries, there was a notable consensus in the need to advance with science and technology-based solutions, as well as in alliances with farmers from other latitudes to provide answers to issues on the land. Although there is still a long way to go, agriculture is gradually gaining ground in global conversations about climate change and, especially, the region's agriculture is gaining more representativeness.

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About this last point, IICA has had an essential role by providing, for two consecutive years, the pavilion "Home of Sustainable Agriculture of the Americas". Said pavilion is the only one devoted solely to this subject, offering a space to prove and raise awareness about how agrifood systems in the Americas act as catalysts for the development of climatic solutions.

Agrifood system: the opportunity for Argentina

The president of the institution, Marcelo Torres, shared his insight and the primary messages of the event. In the first place, he noted that "negotiations on agrifood systems between countries were held up". However, there was major progress between private and private-public agreements, meaning, between producer associations, certifying bodies, credit institutions, and even some NGOs that have been greatly critical of the sector throughout history". And added: "The latter has to do with a tendency observed in this COP, which unlike previous ones, has changed the debate from an "ideology-based" standpoint toward a more rational one based in science and real data." In this regard, Torres stated that this union is also reflected among worldwide producers, where those from European countries that were very critical of South American productive models in the past are now the target of 'anti-science' complaints of their own society, so they are looking for ally countries to provide answers to this matter. Within this framework, Argentina has a great opportunity to build a long-term agenda that aims at keeping on reducing environmental and carbon footprint. "Even though we depend on the shortterm as always, with opening and closing market cycles, tax burden and economic instability it is a good thing that we have most of the path already walked," Torres claimed.

Likewise, he also said that, similarly to several South American countries, "our productive models based on no-till farming, photosynthesis diversification and maximizing, and pasture livestock have already placed us as leaders regarding low carbon footprint production." And added: "However, there is an upcoming need to generate data and unified protocols to measure emissions and captures based on certainties, and that speak the same language. Therefore, we need science and national and international organisms, as we have been promoting with IICA and the Confederation of American Associations

for Sustainable Agriculture (CAAPAS in Spanish) to create alliances and to place ourselves as a regional bloc before the world." In that sense, producer organizations from American countries issued a call so that environmental impact indicators applied to hemispheric agriculture are science-based, consensual and notarized, with farmers as an essential part of the process. "It is not possible to build sustainability if we do not include the farmer in the debate and search for solutions," Torres said.

Final observations As it was previously mentioned, the farming sector in Argentina and the region has an incredible potential to satisfy the increasing global food demand and, at the same time, provide solutions on climate change adaptation and mitigation. In this sense, being a representative of the Argentine and the region's agribusiness at the tables of the most important international negotiations is key to ensure decisions aligned to the interests of the region, so they do not only consider the standpoint of those countries with major weight in the international scenes. It is of vital importance that agriculture in the Americas and, especially farmers, be represented in those spaces where the future of agrifood systems

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is discussed and decisions regarding strategies and climatic actions are made. Although discussions perceived a "less ideologybased" and more rational approach based on science, it is still necessary to close the breach between rhetoric and action. Meaning, ideas need to be translated into specific practices, and this can only be accomplished as long as the farmer has an active participation in discussions. Considering this context and taking into account the role of our institution as a farmers’ association promoting sustainable production systems through knowledge management and network innovation, we can conclude that:

We confirm the strong commitment of the farming sector on the global agenda regarding climate change mitigation and adaptation.

We acknowledge climate change impact in the farming sector and the need for farmers to contribute to global efforts in reducing emissions.

We emphasized the importance that these global debates on agriculture, food and climate change include the farmer's perspective, as it is them who conduct all actions on the field.

NOS ACOMPAÑAN

We encourage science and technology-based decisions, as well as articulation and collaboration between the different actors involved.

From Aapresid, we assume the responsibility and commitment to participate in the most important global forums, being representatives of the farmers' voice.

REFERENCIAS

Check the references by entering www.aapresid.org.ar/blog/revista-aapresid-n-215

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Solutions "Made in Chile" for seed enhancement Through the application of advanced science and technology, the Chilean startup Neocrop Technologies is shortening the improvement period of agrifood species, enabling crops to be more resilient to climate change, more environment friendly, more nutritional and to generate major yield.

By: Daniel Norero

COO & Co-Founder at NeoCrop Technologies

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Agriculture is facing significant challenges. Population growth, climate change pressure and crop slow upgrading programs are elements that may trigger a global food crisis within this century. By seeking to be a part of the solution from Latin America–one of the main suppliers of food worldwide–we want to contribute to the global challenge of developing new pioneer means to strengthen food security and mitigate negative effects on crops productivity caused by events related to climate change. Another motivating purpose is to promote a healthier society through the development of more nutritional and healthy food. From Chile, we are working to transform crops by integrating all great opportunities provided by genome editing and information technologies, with the aim to transfer the knowledge into the field.

The genesis of NeoCrop Technologies In 2020, with the pandemic already underway, we met Dr. Francisca Castillo through an event via Zoom at my job. At that moment, she was completing her postdoctoral studies at the Southern University of Chile, where she had conducted outstanding investigations regarding wheat genome transformation to improve yields and heat tolerance. Moreover, she had set in motion the first speed-breeding prototype applied to cereals in Chile.

As months went by, we realized that we shared a common interest in conducting and transferring new breeding techniques (NBTs) to provide solutions to the land and the country's food, so it does not just end in academic papers. We had "green light" on the national regulatory framework, public funds availability, a wide network of global connections, and the pandemic had given us some extra time. That is why, together with a

third partner and Francisca's brother, Sebastián Castillo–civil engineering informatics–with whom she had already master the application of artificial intelligence, big data and Internet of Things (IoT) to the project, we decided to start NeoCrop Technologies as a startup.

(from left to right) Daniel Norero, Sebastián Castillo and Dr. Francisca Castillo, Neocrop Technologies founders.

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Platform and proprietary software The developed big proposal was the creation, in record time, of a platform for precision genetic improvement through the combination of three key technologies: genome editing with CRISPR– molecular scissors for precise and targeted changes in the plant's genome; a proprietary software of candidate gene selection for editing strategy assistance; and speed-breeding, which

consists in the plant's accelerated growth in automated chambers for environmental and photoperiodism parameters. As an example, instead of delaying 5 or 6 months for wheat harvesting on the field, here we do it in only two months, accomplishing 5 to 6 annual harvests.

Instituciones que nos acompañan

Dr. Claudia Payacán during wheat immature embryos transformation process for fiber increasement.

Lab dishes with wheat calluses genetically edited to increase fiber at in vitro culture stage.

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This technological synergy enables us to reduce long periods of crop improvement, moving from 12-15 years to only 4-5 years. We work through a co-development model, partnering with seed companies, where we conducted the early stage of accelerated R&D in our laboratory for two years, and the seed companies will continue the following three years of testing in field and record keeping. The final register of varieties and future profit margins are shared through business contracts (Figure 1).

Metalfor, la Fertilizadora oficial de Aapresid Conocé más en www.metalfor.com.ar

Growing wheat inside a speed-breeding chamber.

Figure 1. Diagram of the co-development model of NeoCrop and associated seed company.

Simplified diagram of the platform shown on public Decks.

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It is worth emphasizing that, for the initial promotion of the platform, besides the partners own capital, it was key to have a first fund from the Chilean National Agency for Research and Development (ANID in Spanish), enabling us to start our own laboratory in Valdivia city, in Southern Chile. Thus far, this platform has allowed us to obtain more than US$710 thousand in public funds through agencies from three Ministries

(Agriculture, Science and Economy), and recently we closed a pre-seed round of US$350 thousand led by Südlich Capital. With these funds, we expect to consolidate ourselves in the Southern Cone and expand toward new markets like Brazil, United States and Australia, as well as a following round for 4 or 5 million dollars in the US.

Ongoing projects: cereals and new species Our first product in the platform is a high-fiber edited wheat, a compound of several health benefits that the industry seeks in order to answer to new food tendencies. This project is carried out in association with seed companies, such as Campex Baer, the oldest breeding company

in Chile, and Buck Semillas, an important seed company in Argentina. The editing is carried out on elite trade lines from both seed companies, and field studies will be conducted in 2024.

A visit to Buck Semillas's trial fields in Necochea city, Argentina. Francisca Castillo y Daniel Norero alongside Diana Martino and Lisardo González.

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During 2023, new pioneer projects were added: ● Development of drought-tolerant wheat lines, also based on Campex Baer and Buck Semillas germplasm. We are carrying out an interesting multiple editing strategy to address a quite complex genetic trait.

● Development of white lupin (Lupinus albus) resistant to anthracnose disease– the main global constraint of this legume–together with Campex Baer, one of the few global companies that possess this type of germplasm. White lupin has equal or even higher protein and fiber levels than soy, and although it is mostly used for animal and fish feed, it is gaining strength as human food due to its beneficial profile in weight control and for people with diabetes.

● Project to increase levels of beta-glucans (healthy compound) in oat for export markets as a premium product. Also in association with Campex Baer.

Dr. Nicole Lichtin, conducting lupin inoculation with anthracnose fungus for resistance testing.

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Lupin growing in speed breeding.

Part of the Neocrop team at Campex Baer "field day", 11/30/2023. From left to right: Daniel Norero, Milena Jara, Rafael Carrera, Dr. Nicole Lichtin, Dr. Claudia Payacán, Dr. Francisca Castillo.

In addition to the main model, we also provide speed breeding acceleration services to new seed companies in Chile and Argentina. Currently, we have ongoing R&D acceleration projects involving potatoes, maqui berry–native of Southern Chile and Argentina, rich in antioxidants–and we are even innovating the forestry sector. In regards to the latter, we are developing a biotechnologicalbased solution for eucalyptus required by the pulp and paper company CMPC, one of the largest Chilean forestry companies.

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Challenges and potential of genome editing Currently, we are facing major issues that will have an increasing impact in agribusiness at a global level. Some worrying data regarding wheat include severe drought that will affect around 30% of the world's surface by 2030, and 60% by the end of the century (Trnka, 2019). In the case of Chile, we lead hydric stress matters in Latin America (Hofste, 2019). As regards diseases, almost 90% of the world's wheat surface is at the risk of rust–yellow rust in leaves or stems–, fusarium ear blight (FHS) or septoria (STB), with constant losses of more than 62 million tons of wheat per year as a result of this group of diseases (Chai et al., 2022). Genome editing has proven to be practical in hastening the development of several crop varieties that can withstand droughts, diseases, improve post-harvesting quality and provide new healthier food. In fact, the first three edited crops currently in the market are destined to consumers: soybean high in healthy oils and better-tasting

mustard salad in the United States, in addition to tomatoes with antihypertensive compounds in Japan. Public and private agribusinesses in Chile and Argentina have much to benefit from if we make a strong deployment of this technology to update plant breeding programs. Both countries are pioneers regarding the first global regulations for bringing these crops into the field, and we have significant investigations in the public sector, as well as startups taking courage in transferring these benefits into the field. We have in front of us an enormous opportunity to overtake other regions, and that solutions to critical problems in agribusiness emerge from our lands into the world.

BIOECONOMY

An Argentine company, leader in sugar and paper production, launches innovative sugarcanebased products

With 115 years of history, Ledesma knows how to add value to sugarcane. In addition to sugar, ethyl alcohol, bioethanol and its extensive, 100% natural product line of paper and notebooks, this year the company is getting ready to launch new products that unite innovation and sustainability.

By: Agr. Engr. María Eugenia Magnelli To Prospectiva Aapresid

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Sugarcane production and industrialization represent one of the activities of major economic and social significance in Northeast Argentina. Originated in Jujuy province, Ledesma is one of the most vigorous, diversified and integrated companies in our country. We talked to Ledesma's Paper Business Director, Marcos Uribelarrea, to meet first-hand the numerous business units derived from sugarcane, and his solid commitment with sustainability.

Marcos Uribelarrea, Paper Business Director at Ledesma.

115 years adding value to sugarcane Ledesma’s beginnings trace back to the first estates during colonial periods and to the establishment of the first factory in 1830. In 1908, Ovejero and Zerda families consolidated the partnership under the name Compañía Azucarera Ledesma, marking the birth of Ledesma as a domestic capital sugar company. In 1911, Enrique Wollmann and Carlos Delcasse acquired the company. Wollmann directed the company up until his death in 1927, leaving a consolidated sugar and alcohol factory as legacy. From 1927 to 1970, the company was directed by Herminio Arrieta, Wollmann's son-in-law. Arrieta, besides following the guidelines of his father-inlaw, laid the foundations for a diversified production

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with the building of a paper factory, and a scale increment by acquiring the Calilegua estate. After Arrieta passed away in 1970, the company was in the hands of his son-in-law, Carlos Pedro Blaquier–married to Nelly, Arrieta's only daughter–who also followed efficiency and escalation policies, as well as controlled diversification. Blaquier expanded the business by incorporating a notebook factory in San Luis province, and farming activities in La Pampa Húmeda region. Under his leadership, Ledesma moved forward to the professionalization of its management cadre.

Since 2013, Carlos Herminio Blaquier–Carlos Pedro Blaquier's oldest son–is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Although Ledesma is a family company, being both Blaquier and Arrieta families major shareholders, it is also quoted on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange.

Currently, Ledesma is a leader in sugar and paper production, and plays an important role in the fruit, juice, oil, alcohol and bioethanol market, along with the meat and grain sector. The core of their business is to add value to sugarcane.

Ingenio Ledesma receives nearly 4 million tons of sugarcane per year.

Crop management Ledesma owns 40 thousand hectares in Jujuy province destined for sugarcane harvesting. Within the last fiscal year, a total of 3.074.000 tons of sugarcane were processed. Among farming activities during the sugarcane productive process, planting, growing and harvesting, known as "zafra", are underlined. Because sugarcane is native from tropical and subtropical climates, it requires significant amounts of water. Within Ledesma's area, the climate is

perfect for growing, and the productive estate also owns an irrigation system assisted by artificial intelligence. Moreover, it uses satellite images with drones for soil monitoring and RTK Network for real-time tracking of farming machines. As regards sugarcane varieties, Argentina has three developing centers:

1 Chacra Experimental Santa Rosa–in which Ledesma is also involved–is the only private center developing sugarcane varieties based on the research of molecular biology, genetics and applied biochemistry.

2 Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres (EEAOC): public-private body.

3 INTA: public and federal. In Ledesma, most of the varieties employed derive from Chacra Santa Rosa, identified with the initials NA (North Argentina). For the zafra 2023, 80% of

sugarcane cultivation consists of the following varieties: NA 5 860 (23%); TUC* 77 42 (20%); CP 70 1133 (20%); NA 96 2929 (15%). There is also a big, less representative group of varieties: NA 90 1001; NA 97 3152; LCP 85 384; NA 3 3300; NA 97 563; NA 1 640; TUC 72 16; NA 3 559; NA 7 493. The selection of varieties depends, naturally, on the environmental conditions for planting. Land, disease resistance, ripeness, blooming period and lodging tendency are some of the considered features when selecting the material. Average annual precipitations in sugarcane cultivations reach nearly 800 millimeters, although heavy rains occur mostly during summer. Therefore, irrigation complementation is vital. Thus, Ledesma uses intake structures to collect water from the rivers and lead it toward the fields through a network of channels and ditches. Currently, they have 1.500 kilometers of irrigation channels. 85% of the land is irrigated due to gravity (allowing water to flow through the ditches) and the remaining 15% through pressurized irrigation systems (mechanized, drip and sprinkler systems).

*ACRONYMS: - CP, Canal Point (USA) - TUC, derive from EEAOC - INTA or FAM derived from INTA Famaillá, Tucumán province

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The zafra usually extends from May to November and it is done mechanically. Once harvested, sugarcane is cut and transported by truck nearly 600 kilometers through a network of domestic roads. During the process of photosynthesis, sugarcane absorbs carbon dioxide enabling the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, it is a renewable resource since it grows back after being harvested.

The zafra or sugarcane harvesting is done mechanically and it usually extends from May to November. Once harvested, the crop grows back again.

An integrated company committed to sustainability. In Ledesma, Jujuy province, there are 40 thousand hectares meant for the harvesting of a primary raw material: sugarcane. This annually renewed crop is exploited to the fullest. Sugarcane's juice is used for sugar manufacturing, Ledesma's foundational product, and also alcohol, which is also used to produce bioethanol, mostly used as an additive to gasoline. "Meanwhile, for more than 50 years we have used sugarcane bagasse for paper manufacturing, adding value by transforming it into reams, notebooks,

school paper supplies, illustration paper, among others," said Uribelarrea. "We also turn sugarcane marrow fiber into energy in our biomass boilers, which is later used in industrial processes," he added. Therefore, activities integration is Ledesma's intrinsic feature, being nature a common factor connecting every company business.

Sugar "We were born as a sugar company and nowadays we are Argentina's main sugar producer (17% of total production). Our ingenio, which is the name commonly used to refer to sugarcane mills in Argentina, receives approximately 4 million tons of sugarcane a year, which is milled in order to extract sucrose found in the juice to make sugar," explained the director of the company. Every year, around 80% of processed sugarcane is meant for sugar manufacture, and the remaining 20% is for alcohol production. As regards sugar production, nearly 40% is meant for mass consumption, 45% for industries, and 15% for exportation. The company's main clientele are dairy, bakery and candy products manufacturers, as well as supermarkets and wholesale markets.

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"Since 2018, we are the first large-scale muscovado sugar producer in Argentina, part of the business we succeeded in developing and promoting. Moreover, we joined the non-caloric section of the market with sugar substitutes, sucralose-based sweeteners and stevia, both in liquid and powder form," said Uribelarrea.

Currently, Ledesma is the major sugar producer company in Argentina (17% of the total production). Every year, around 4 million tons of sugarcane arrive at sugar mills to be processed so as to extract the sucrose in the juice and produce sugar.

Once sugarcane is harvested, it is taken to sugar mills to obtain the juice. Later, sugar and molasses are extracted and used to produce alcohol and bioethanol.

Alcohol Alcohol and bioethanol are obtained by means of sugar fermentation. Alcohol produced at Ledesma has different destinations: pharmacies, alcoholic drinks and bioethanol production.

Bioethanol Bioethanol is a renewable resource playing an important role regarding gasoline matters in Argentina, and since it substitutes oil imports, enables to save foreign currency. Ledesma produces 100.000m3 of bioethanol annually. Bio Ledesma S.A. sells it to oil companies to take part in the 12% mandatory blending requirement for gasoline.

Planta Bio Ledesma, bioethanol production.

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Ledesma NAT - Natural paper "We are one of the few companies in the world manufacturing paper from sugarcane, and also one of the few who integrated their productive processes, which allows full exploitation of this raw material," emphasized the company's representative. Everything starts in the field, where sugarcane is harvested, cleaned and cut. Later, in the sugar mills, the juice used in sugar production is obtained. In the solid part, the fiber and the marrow are separated. "We use the fiber to manufacture the pulp for making paper. The marrow is burnt in biomass boilers to generate energy," he explained. Sugarcane fiber is processed at the pulp mill owned by the company, and unbleached pulp– hence its natural color–becomes sheets of paper in a paper machine. The pope reel or parent reel coming out of the paper machine is cut and turned into different formats: paper rolls, sheets and reams for printing and writing. With that same paper, In Villa Mercedes, San Luis province, school and college products are manufactured. "Since 2019, we have manufactured natural paper under the brand Ledesma NAT. It is about a fully sustainable proposal aligned with global tendencies regarding environmental protection.

The entire range of products is made with 100% sugarcane-based sheets, 0% tree fiber and 0% bleaching chemicals. It is the only one with a verified carbon footprint almost neutral," Uribelarreal emphasizes. As market leaders, they produce around 130 thousand tons of paper a year, and almost 80% of their production is intended for the domestic market. The company manufactures white and natural paper and transforms it in reams, sheets and rolls to supply several markets: graphic, editorial, other companies, stationery stores, photocopying shops and the final consumer. At the factory located in San Luis, the company turns paper into notebooks, paper pads and school supplies. These products are sold under the brand names Éxito, Gloria, Épica, Avon, Classic, Colección, Essential, Executive, Línea 16, Línea Artística Quinquela y Ledesma NAT. Ledesma NAT paper is certified under ISO 9001, IRAM 3134, Fundación ProYungas as Producto Yungas-FCA (Alternative Cellulose Fibers), and carbon footprint verification by SCS Global Services.

In 2023, Ledesma NAT was exported to Brazil, Chile, Korea, the Netherlands, France, Croatia, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Uruguay, United States and Romania.

Ledesma produces high quality paper from sugarcane fiber. This crop is renewed annually, that is why Ledesma paper is characterized for being a sustainable product.

Preserving ecosystems and communities welfare "It is important for us to convey what differentiate us and offer the market a better, sustainable and environment friendly proposal," said the director of Business Paper Ledesma.

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"For many years, we have conserved 100.000 hectares of native forest in Jujuy province and, in collaboration with Fundación ProYungas, we have developed a Plan of Territorial Order, the

first of its kind in the country, aiming at preserving two out of three hectares of our lands in its natural state and monitoring constantly the flora and fauna," he adds.

In this way and from its beginnings, Ledesma's main concerns are protecting and maintaining biodiversity. "Four decades ago we donated 75 thousand hectares to create the Calilegua National Park," Uribelarrea highlights.

Sugarcane cultivations and Yungas, an harmonious coexistence.

Sustainability policy Ledesma celebrated its 115 years of history leading proactively the search for economic growth, social progress and environment preservation. "This look into the future was built based on our values, on the improved practices in the industry sector, on strategic alliances, and on the dialogue with interest groups," claimed Uribelarrea.

In 2019, they launched their own Environmental Policy, founded on five pillars of action and two cross-cutting themes, approved by the environmental committee made up of the general manager and directors reporting to him, and supervised by part of Ledesma's Board of Directors.

To implement this Policy, they developed a sustainability plan based on 25 initiatives with indicators, promoted by several agencies and businesses of the company.

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Future projects and new releases As regards future projects and new releases, the director of Paper Business Ledesma does not hide his excitement about the company's next steps: "For the next school year, we will launch two new products of Ledesma NAT: spiral notebooks and reams. Moreover, we are building a new plant destined for the production of flatware made from sugarcane pulp, in white and natural colors.

This line includes bowls, glasses and trays aiming at replacing single-use plastic containers. This flatware will be completely compostable after using, and we are very excited about this project."

For more information, visit Ledesma Dialoga.

We appreciate Marcos Uribelarrea for his positive attitude and valuable contributions for this interview.

MACHINERY AND AGTECH

The four pillars for technology adoption Agriculture 4.0 is among us. Tomás Oesterheld, Aapresid executive and GeoAgro associate, explains what changes are needed in order to progress in this digital era, and how to pave the way so as to not be left out of this moving train.

By: Agr. Engr. María Eugenia Magnelli For Aapresid Prospective

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After 10.000 years of farming activities, the way food, fibers and bioenergy are produced is evolving, and lately, these changes are happening by leaps and bounds. Technological innovations and farming processes digitization are already under way and proposing new methods to optimize production, improve companies yield and increase systems sustainability.

Agriculture 4.0 is among us. Are we competent enough to take that big step toward the adoption of this technology? That is the great question arising before this change of paradigm. To address this reality concerning us all, we talked to Tomás Oesterheld, Vice President of Aapresid, agricultural consultant and regional associate

of GeoAgro. In this article, we share first-hand his vision regarding context, the required changes to progress in this digital era, and how we can pave the way so as to not be left out of this moving train.

Changes for constant improvement It is obvious, but it is never too late to remember and remark that technologies have been advancing exponentially within the last few years, reaching unusual rates in its development. As a result, several questions arise. Possibly, one significant restricting factor for the effective adoption of technologies is the human being, we who cannot grow, assimilate and adopt all new technological means simultaneously because we do not have that ability.

There is no doubt that this will originate cultural changes, which are the most difficult and profound. However, these changes are necessary for agricultural companies to change their mindset, the way they produce and to approach production in a sustainable context. Hence, here we present the four legs of a table: technology, process, people and culture. These four pillars need to be solid because any problem with any of them would compromise systems functioning.

Therefore, we need to follow a certain plan of action regarding how to organize and what habits to change both ourselves and our teams. This will allow us to choose the proper technology for every producer, and from that, to make the necessary modifications for its adoption in the company. This will have an impact in those processes that help the development of companies, as well as their protocols and procedures. Similarly, it will contribute to enhance systems productivity and increase their sustainability to generate more with less and maintain constant improvements in production systems.

Technology, process, people and culture are the bases for the adoption of new technological tools. Tomás Oesterheld, Vice President of Aapresid, agricultural consultant and regional associate of GreoAgro.

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From plot managing to environment managing: the first challenge Although it is undeniable that technologies have experienced constant growth since the origins of agriculture, the turning point was the inclusion of precision agriculture nearly 15 or 20 years ago. This fact hastens many changes, enabling us to handle many things in a more efficient manner. These tools permit assigning to every section of the plot–or every m2 if you prefer–the exact density, the right dose and the proper treatment needed. With this technological leap, we transition from managing a 100ha plot of which we had 2 or 3 production data, to having thousands of data for every plot we manage.

The first great challenge was to make site-specific management happen, or as it is also known precision agriculture. Despite different names, we all know exactly what we mean. This method has been employed for many years, and we can state it is accomplished, except for some producers who inevitably will have to join in this methodology so as not to fall behind. Taking one step forward, the next challenge entails improving site-specific management through data analysis, aiming at becoming more efficient regarding the use of resources.

Measuring sustainability, a world of opportunities Another, but no less important point, is to pay attention to the new edges appearing as possibilities and/or threats, which is sustainability and the way we measure it. We must create and generate sustainability indexes to realize how sustainable we are. Nowadays, it is not enough to say that our fields produce with less carbon footprint, that we capture carbon and that we do everything the right way; we must measure and prove these achievements, not just talk about them. This opens a world of opportunities for us.

GeoAgro. Digital solutions for a more profitable and sustainable agriculture At a personal level, we are part of a little consulting firm working in the west and southwest of Buenos Aires, La Pampa and other regions of the country. Our approach centers in assisting farming producers to improve the four axes previously mentioned. We facilitate the adoption of technologies, we collaborate so that working teams are better prepared, optimize their processes, and so that their culture is open to a constant dynamic of change. We are regional partners of GeoAgro, an 18year experience company working on those axes. GeoAgro emerged as a technological company, but it was always focused on effective

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implementation on the field. It assists and accompanies the businessman and their teams so as things are properly done within the plot, by improving efficiency and maximizing yields in every productive cycle. Through a specific methodology, GeoAgro acts as an innovation bridge. Taking into account the needs of a company, it is easier to choose which technologies to adopt and which not to. You can do it with your own brand in a 360 platform,

uploading and integrating all the information of your land–satellite monitoring, tasks and yields mapping, field circuits, historical information, etc.–optimizing decision-making with reliable and easy to analyze information in every season. Moreover, it provides flexibility when including personal experiences as well as personal and corporate adjustments.

GeoAgro 360 is a "White label" platform to monitor crop evolution, which integrates and administers the plot digital information to optimize agricultural management.

Multiple layers to delimit environments. 360 manages the necessary information and mapping to optimize cultivation, fertilization and site-specific agriculture. Credit to GeoAgro.

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GeoAgro services Producers

Agricultural inputs and farming equipment business

Optimizes decision-making with reliable and easy to analyze information

Help clients to innovate successfully

Employs precision agriculture for more efficient management

Customize the community digital experience

Prepares your team for the new digital era

Possess reliable information

Prepare your team for the new digital era

Challenges keep on growing. There is an increasing number of possibilities offered by new technologies and it is hard to choose which of them will have a bigger impact in systems productivity and sustainability. The working teams are another element, where the challenge is to carry on with everything done up until now, but better, with new processes and prepared for the digital era. For all of these reasons, networking is essential for all of us. As we say in Aapresid, "nobody knows as much as we all know together".

MACHINERY AND AGTECH

How an unfavorable context motivated agribusiness digitization In spite of an unfavorable context, the adoption of digital channels is constantly growing. Agrofy, a leader platform in agribusiness, revealed historical numbers.

In the middle of a very challenging year for agriculture, with adverse climatic conditions and political-economic factors, digitization was consolidated as an opportunity for agribusiness. Despite the unfavorable context, the adoption of digital channels is constantly growing. Agrofy, a leader platform in agribusiness, revealed historical numbers. For every hundred producers seeking advice, 5 become purchases. It is the best performance of the marketplace in Argentine agribusiness. By: Comunicación Agrofy www.agrofy.com.ar

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This data emerged from Lead Tracking, which is a BOT that monitors all consultations made by producers within this platform originated in Rosario eight years ago. The founder and CEO

of Agrofy, Maximiliano Landrein, emphasized that having full traceability of every lead is a major competitive advantage caused by digitization. "That is why in Agrofy we automated this process that improves the farmer's purchasing experience and generates valuable information for sellers," he explained.

Moreover, he highlighted that this milestone in commercial effectiveness is related to the farmers' confidence in the channel, moving from search, comparison and quotation to full cycle purchases. A sample of the potential of the transactional business models launched by Agrofy in 2020–in which the entire operation occurs online–showed that sales revenue regarding the agricultural machinery category increased 142% in 2023 in comparison with 2022.

PREFERENCIA DE INTERACCIÓN DIGITAL DE LOS PRODUCTORES

Fuente: Mckinsey 2022

Producers’ digital interaction preferences according to Mckinsey

Agrofy is the only ecommerce in the farming sector where farmers can buy using their regular means of payment within the same platform. A model that, since its launching, is gaining volume as regards successfully closed operations. In 2023, for example, the tractors category had the best performance, in which trades on leading brand units generated receipts over US$200,000. Through Agrofy Pay, Agrofy's means of payment integrated in the marketplace, producers used credit cards in more than 35 sub-categories, the most notable being enclosed trailers and frontend loaders, with receipts of around US$10,000. It is worth highlighting that, for these opportunities to take place, in 2023, Agrofy set up eight exhibitions at key points during the season with big discounts for farmers. This encourages

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purchases due to special agreements through several means of payment available in Agrofy Pay. "There are many examples of how adverse environments cause or boost habit changes. In this case, the pandemic deepened the adoption of ecommerce globally. It also motivated farmers' need to seek for more options for better business within a context of droughts. This sum of variables allowed agricultural digitization to keep expanding, even with a retracted market in 2023," claimed Landrein.

Digitization with agricultural DNA Lead Tracking Bot is just one of the tools from the digital solutions box developed by Agrofy aiming at agribusiness digitization. "We always knew that agribusiness was a very different type of retail, simply because the agribusiness value chain entails a wide range of different business models. Therefore, if you want to digitize these processes successfully, you need to create solutions able to back up those distinctive features," Landrein explained. Digitizing agribusiness is not an easy task. Eight years ago, their founders knew the exact moment project Agrofy was finished, because it was not their first initiative with the same focus: Maximiliano Landrein and Alejandro Larosa met working at the Rosario Board of Trade, and in

1999 they found Fyo, one of the first Argentine platforms of information and online services for the farming sector. "We noticed with Alejandro how remote digital communications were starting to change the world and the opportunity this represented for agribusiness; there emerged Fyo," remembered the economist of the National University of Rosario (UNR in Spanish). "From a modern perspective, it was ahead of its time because the market was not ready yet, neither technically nor culturally. A short time later, the "dotcom" bubble exploded, and Fyo managed to transform and grow, mostly due to the disruptive mindset it was born with," he concluded.

Maximiliano Landrein and Alejandro Larosa, founders of Agrofy.

This knowledge of the land in which Agrofy were to grow shaped its identity, inspired by I Ching Hexagram 53, which symbolizes a tree on a mountain, steadily growing, deep-rooted in the soil to overcome winds and wild environments to dominate the landscape from above over time.

Imagen de marca de Agrofy basada en el I Ching

These roots, underpinning Agrofy's digital strategy, defined an ecosystem of solutions that connects agribusiness’ value chain, simplifying its interactions in a safe and efficient digital setting.

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Agrofy News: a means of essential digital communication

Ecosystem growth goes beyond commercial transactions. Agrofy is not only a marketplace, but also a baseline means of digital communication in agribusiness. Agrofy News emerged as the most read news site in the sector, providing farmers crucial information on tendencies, innovations and better practices. This integration strengthens the connection between the platform and the users, creating a space in which information and transactions converge.

Transactional model and payment processor: simplifying operations Efficient digitization requires more than a simple marketplace. Agrofy developed a transactional model and an integrated payment processor to simplify business operations. These tools facilitate buying and selling of products and optimize financial processes, creating a more fluid and safe experience for users. To adapt the farmer's needs and traditional practices of purchasing, Agrofy's transaction unit has an assisted purchasing service, in which a group of core agro-based category specialists make customized quotations according to the batch of products with the best opportunities in

the marketplace. Agrofy Pay is the basis of transactional operations, since they provide access to the main means of payment used in agribusiness, from the most traditional ones–bank financing and grain exchange–to the newest ones, such as Nera digital credits or Agrotoken. "The objective of Agrofy Pay is to integrate and provide agribusiness with every financing option available," said the entrepreneur from Rosario.

Market Ads: strategic meeting between brands and producers The last addition to the Agrofy ecosystem was Market Ads, providing fresh opportunities for brands and producers to connect at the right time. It grants a strategic advertising space when producers are defining a purchase within a specific category, that is why this tool widens promotion and collaboration possibilities in the digital farming sector.

Almost 90% of producers entered at least once into an agribusiness marketplace in 2022 according to Mckinsey.

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The next steps "Agrofy is in the gigantic agribusiness market, representing 20% of Argentina and Brazil's GDP, a sector valued at US$400 trillion for 2025, if we include all agribusiness categories. We believe that by 2030, 5% of agribusiness will become e-commerce; so, we aim to be included in a US$18 trillion market of online transactions. Part of that wealth will be part of marketplace transactions, and today Agrofy is the number one solely for agribusiness marketplace in the region, with the clear objective to be number one in the world," Landrein explained.

The future of digital agribusiness Within a year of environmental and economic difficulties challenging agribusiness' stability, digitization emerges as an essential catalyst for resilience and development. Through its vast ecosystem, Agrofy built the necessary roots to ensure constant progress in the Argentine digital agribusiness sector. With tools going beyond commercial transactions, Agrofy created a setting where information, innovation and collaboration converge in order to build a more solid and thriving future for digital agribusiness.

MACHINERY AND AGTECH

A digital solution to optimize financing decisions for next season Nera, the payment and financing ecosystem for agribusiness, offers alternatives to take customized loans and to improve the margins of the producer, a key issue within this context.

By: Juan Pedro Gazzotti

Chief Business and Marketing Officer at Nera

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Nera, a digital ecosystem of payment and finance in agribusiness, is presented as an alternative to solve payment regarding input purchase or finance acquisition. The platform connects farmers and suppliers with financing entities and means of payment, simplifying agribusiness management throughout the value chain. Within this ecosystem, farmers can find bank financing alternatives in Argentinian pesos and/or grain with multiple customized

possibilities, being able to select terms regarding rates, installments and amortization models better suited for the farmer's cash flows and productive cycles. The primary objective is to empower farmers in order to enhance their business through digital financing solutions. This ecosystem acts as a full digital channel in real time, enabling the access to special financing with a wide network of 1400 supplies and distribution chains. In the trade agreement section, farmers

can search for information on current conditions with suppliers and, moreover, they have the chance to register in order to receive customized offers according to their profile. As part of the valuable proposal, Nera offers financing operations digitization, enabling a fully online business management, resulting in time and cost optimization for the farmer. A simple and fast way of payment for inputs is the Crédito Grano a Futuro (forward grain credits), which is a secured credit through a forward contract with the financial entity, where farmers pledge to deliver a volume of their grain production within a specific timeframe. This process was previously analogical and could take 30 days to be completed, now it is 100% digital and can be conducted in less than a week.

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Looking forward to enhancing farmers' opportunities, one of the novelties aims at generating incentives so farmers can monetize the value of their efforts into sustainability. Nera developed a new functionality that enables to differentiate credit offers and provide, in an automated way, better financing conditions for those farmers employing good practices. The first experience was implemented together with Bayer, allowing all farmers participating in the Green Credit program to access bonus rate credits. As a result, those farmers adopting new sustainable initiatives promoted by Bayer–such as recycling plastic or zero carbon containers– and who are registered in the program receive an instantly and entirely digital bonus rate to finance their input purchases.

During 2023, Nera financed more than four thousand farmers and managed 14 thousand operations for a total of US$690 million in loans. In 2024, the company is planning to integrate with more bank entities and, at the same time, to progress in the regional expansion toward Uruguay and Paraguay. Regardless of the country concerned, the farmer needs to strongly invest in every season and, therefore, financing is a crucial aspect. Nera is a business model suitable

for those countries employing extensive and intensive agriculture and with a strong livestock farming imprint.

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Site-specific agriculture: how to know which plots are the right ones? In the search for maximizing agriculture efficiency, Chacra Justiniano Posse presents innovative tools based on satellite images to identify candidate plots for Precision Agriculture employment, streamlining farming decisions and improving resource usage efficiency.

By: Claudio Jesús Razquin¹ and Magalí Gutierrez²

¹ RTD Chacra Justiniano Posse, Professor at Universidad Nacional Villa María. ² Regional Technical Coordinator, Sistema Chacras.

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Precision Agriculture is a management strategy that collects, processes and analyzes temporal, spatial and individual data to support management decisions according to estimated variability, thus improving efficiency in the use of resources, productivity, profitability and sustainability of agricultural production. Information acquisition and processing is achieved due to the incorporation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in agriculture. These technologies enable data collection from the crop and its surroundings, as well as the processing and storing of useful information for decision-making. Detailed information about crop, soil and climate help farmers and technicians to make decisions based on facts, contributing to a better precision of uncertainty reduction and risk management of the farming company. It is known that plots do not produce uniformly across the whole field, so it is important to take into account said variability when managing them. The search is focused on identifying areas of the plot with major yield potential to apply the appropriate input amount that enables to maximize said yield; and areas of minor yield potential to provide enough resource amounts that enables to optimize the return on investment.

Currently, there are multiple platforms and technologies for the acquisition of information that allow to quantify and process variability, as well as define the amount of resources to apply in every sector of the plot with a consultant assistance. However, the process of collecting and analyzing information is complex, time-consuming and requires a special training that does not match up with the current demand. Moreover, it may involve a generational gap issue, since farmers employing this technology do not have fastenough, user-friendly tools to understand the spatial and temporal behavior of crops. Another issue is that information is not always available, especially for those plots with few years under leasing agreements, a relevant situation in Argentina since 70% of the cultivated land is rented. Therefore, it is common to raise questions such as: are my plots suitable for precision agriculture? In which plots do I start to examine variability and apply variable dosage? If I invest in technology to obtain information, which plots do I choose to maximize return on investment? How do I validate information and the service acquired? That is why, following our characteristic motto "learning by producing", in Chacra Justiniano Posse emerges the need of the farmer to further analyze the adoption of Precision Agriculture (PA). The objective was to address the entire cycle covered by PA, and the first three products developed were simple, fast-processing and fastresponse tools so that the farmer could identify which plots are the variable ones among those similar, and detect candidates to perform sitespecific management.

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Developed tools are based in the use and processing of Landsat and Sentinel satellite images, of which multispectral index is calculated at every date of the satellite visit and several statistic index are analyzed, enabling to characterized the crop’s spatial variability and temporal evolution (as of 2013) in the plot and the validation of identified managed areas. This article will show examples of tools using NDVI multispectral index, which is an indicator of the crop’s photosynthetically active biomass and health. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the NDVI is a variability indicator. According to a bibliographic review, a 20% CV is considered the threshold to determine which plots are variable among similar ones. Another used indicator was 15 and 90 percentile of NDVI's cumulative frequency at every date of the satellite visit. The differences between those numbers over time enable the farmer to infer the level of differences between the areas of the plot with low and high values of NDVI. If there are significant differences, it is possible to determine that the plot is diverse enough and a candidate to conduct input variable dosage.

The scale of differences between percentiles also facilitates the analysis of the impact regarding employed management decisions and agricultural seasons, sensitivity in certain crops and the moment during the crop cycle that shows differences between sites. Figure 1 shows an example of the process of calculation and interpretation of these indicators.

Figure 1. Conceptual scheme of the processing of images and calculations of the coefficient of variations (1) and the 15 and 90 percentiles of NDVI (2) for the development of tools that enable to assess candidate plots for site-specific agriculture.

These tools were created through a programming code on Google Earth Engine platform. In this platform, the farmer only needs to draw the plot polygon and execute the script to obtain the mentioned products in only 4 seconds.

As an example, the above mentioned tools are shown in 5 farmer-owned plots at the Chacra, distributed in different macro-environments of production in the regions of Departamento General San Martín, Unión and Marcos Juárez, in Córdoba province, where Chacra Justiniano Posse is located. Figure 2 shows the temporal dynamics of NDVI's CV. From the 5 analyzed plots, 1, 2 and 5 present dates in which the CV exceeds 20% threshold

and, therefore, are considered candidate plots for site-specific agriculture. Plot number 4 is below the threshold. Plot number 3 only presented CV over 20% during season 2016/17, a year in which several flooding issues in the region were registered, affecting crops growth in those areas of the plot of lower altimetry. Both plots should be considered candidates for an uniform management or it can be considered that they present a low response in a variable site-specific management adoption.

Figure 2. Temporal dynamics of the NDVI coefficient of variations in 5 farmer-owned plots at the Chacra Justiniano Posse located in the regions of Departamento gral San Martín, Unión and Justiniano Posse. The horizontal line placed on the 20% CV indicates the threshold value to identify the variable plots among similar ones.

Figure 3 shows the average NDVI temporal dynamics and 15 and 90 percentiles. Interestingly, these tools enable the identification of differences

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between percentiles and their magnitude at every moment of the cycle and in every season. In this sense, plots 1 and 2 show major variability,

and present significant differences between percentiles, although they depend on the season and the crops sowed in each plot. Plot 5, which indicates intermediate variability (Figure 2), presents differences between percentiles maximizing nearly the critical period of

crops, suggesting the importance in investigating the quantity that these differences represent in grain yields. On the other hand, plot 4, similarly to what is registered for CV, does not show spatial variability to justify the employment of site-specific management.

Figure 3. Temporal dynamics of average NDVI and the 15 and 90 NDVI percentiles on 5 plots at the Chacra Justiniano Posse. Differences between percentiles enable to identify the variable plots among those similar ones, the crop and the point of the cycle revealing differences between sites.

This tool could also be employed to identify and list those dates in which multispectral index presents major variations, essential information to select the appropriate dates in commercial platforms that allow site-specific management

and to dismiss those dates affected by adverse factors such as frost, hail or flooding, that must be included in the process of managing.

Validation of management areas identified during the site-specific management process of the plot. Similarly to previous tools, we developed a third product centered in chart NDVI temporal series in each management area identified during the plot's site-specific managing process. Basically, the shapefile of said area is uploaded to Google Earth Engine, and the script execution allows to chart NDVI average evolution of every management area. In case the average NDVI does not show differences between these areas, this stage will allow the farmer to infer that the generated site-specific management is not suitable.

This scenario is exemplified in Figure 4, where there is a plot from the Chacra managed by a company providing precision agriculture services that prescribe urea doses and plant density within corn crops for the current 202324 season. Corn yield map's boxplot within the same plot in season 2021-22 shows that yield differences between zones are despicable, thus validating the results found with the validation management areas of the tool, which indicates minor NDVI differences between sites for the studied temporal series.

Figure 4. A plot with three different management areas showing the values of a corn yield map (season 2021-22) and NDVI temporal evolution for each area. The example exhibits that a site-specific management process does not enable to identify the differences presented among managed areas.

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So far, developed tools and analyzed cases allow to identify an action protocol to carry out precision agriculture cycle, summarized below:

variable site-specific management. The dates in which the index presents major variations are candidates for site-specific management processes.

Obtaining Cv and percentiles of NDVI temporal series to detect if the plot presents spatial variability and the dates those variations are observed.

2 If the plot exceeds 20% CV and shows differences between percentiles, then the plot presents suitable spatial variability to define

The new generated site map can be validated again by uploading it in Google Earth Engine platform to execute the script that charts NDVI temporal series for each managed area. If differences between managed areas are confirmed, site maps are well made and it is viable to proceed with input prescriptions.

Conclusions Not every plot is a candidate for site-specific management agriculture employment. However, tools based on satellite image processing enable farmers to detect those candidate plots that qualify for precision agriculture employment in an easy and fast manner. These tools facilitate the assigning of economic resources efficiently and profitably, enabling farmers to maximize the advantages of this technology.

PESTS MANAGEMENT

The spotlight on corn crops and diseases during El Niño phenomenon Specialists from Northwest Argentina (NOA in Spanish) delve into the basic precautions that must be taken over corn sanitary performance before the arrival of precipitation during season 23/24.

Watch the entire segment of Agenda Aapresid here Alejandro Cuadra, AAPRESID's associate, and Dr Cecilia Díaz, plant pathologist and researcher at the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, visit us at Agenda Aapresid and emphasized the importance of corn cultivation in NOA and advised that, during this season, the focus should be placed in monitoring sanitary performance. This is due to forecasting a more humid environment under the influence of El Niño phenomenon, which will favor the spread of diseases.

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Corn, the path toward agroecology Alejandro Cuadra, Aapresid associate and Director at Cuaeco, shared his insights on the essential role of corn in the transition between conventional production and agroecology. Moreover, he advised over the importance in monitoring crop health closely during the year of El Niño. According to Cuadra, corn is not only a summer crop, but a key tool in sustainable agricultural matters. "In the provinces of Tucumán and Santiago del Estero, we use corn as a replacement for soybean in a 50:50 rotation scheme. In Salta, we

rotate it with beans, also under a 50:50 scheme and on intensified rotations with service crops. Toward the north of this province, we sow it supplemented with Brachiaria," explained the consultant. This year, they plan to sow 50% of the corn land– nearly 12.500 hectares–highlighting the strategic significance of this cereal in their operations.

The issues regarding diseases in the year of El Niño As regards disease management, Cuadra pointed out those in the leaves as severe, underlining leaf blight and rust as the most important. Fusarium verticillioides is also an important threat–according to the consultant– and can affect roots, stalks and ears of corn, and impact on grain quality and production. "This season we should consider those diseases that have emerged in past seasons. White spot is one of them. It is presented as white dots appearing in the surface of the leaves as a result of herbicidal usage or it may be confused with phytotoxicity. Another important one is Spiroplasma," he said.

According to Cuadra, effective disease management involves constant monitoring: "In the case of foliar diseases, we employ appropriate scales; for example, for rust we apply Cobb scale, and we focus on the ear of corn's leaves health +1 and -1 to make decisions regarding intervention." However, in the case of Spiroplasma, the key is to monitor Dalbulus maidis vector and to treat plots perimeter as a precaution.

Other diseases have emerged in past seasons, diseases we should consider in this season. The white spot is one of them.

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Epidemiological analysis with Dr Cecilia Díaz Dr Cecilia Díaz, plant pathology specialist, coincided with Cuadra in the analysis, and predicted a major range of diseases based on the analysis of the existing inoculate load. Similar to the consultant's opinion, she pointed out that corn leaf blight, Exserohilum turcicum (fungal pathogen), and common rust (Puccinia sorghi), will be present once more in NOA. "This season, there has been high levels of both diseases, and their inoculate agents are present in stubble." Nevertheless, it differentiates between several specific ones: "Last season, rust started with high levels but later diminished according to predisposing environmental conditions. Although, what mainly caught our attention was that it did not happen the same with leaf blight. Even though

environmental conditions were not favorable, they were above optimal–with temperatures 10 degrees above ideal–the disease was still present, indicating how it became adapted to the region's environmental conditions," the specialist explained. Moreover, she said that we need to be careful with diseases such as cercosporiosis, fusarium, Diplodia, Gibberella ear rot (pink mold) and white spot. However, the specialist mentioned that these diseases do not have a homogeneous distribution in NOA, but it varies according to the used hybrids and special conditions in each area.

Tools for Spiroplasma management Spiroplasma is a disease transmitted by the commonly known corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis). Unfortunately, there is no registered chemical control to handle this leafhopper, making it essential the monitoring and/or controlling of host plants such as wild corn, spontaneous grass vegetation or crops during winter, where this vector is also present. In the past years, there has been a registered increase in their occurrence in the region: "In NOA, the sowing scope is usually extended from December to January. However, in the past seasons, due to the weather and the lack of water, sowing dates

have been delayed and almost no late-corn was sowed, which caused an increase in the occurrence of this disease," Cuadra explained. Both Cuadra and Díaz suggested the early control of the disease and the monitoring of the perimeter. "When the disease is appearing, it begins to spread from the outside of the plot to the center. Therefore, a meticulous, early monitoring of these areas is essential, because if detected on time, there would still be positive results through the control of the perimeter.”

Díaz also mentioned the importance in changing into new hybrids that show tolerance to Spiroplasma, enabling a major control over the disease. On the other hand, during the past season, there were issues when determining the symptoms of this disease–shortening of internodes, multipleear formation and reddish color. "These common symptoms were confused with physiological alterations responding to high temperatures and scarce precipitation. However, the primary difference that should be considered for the diagnosis is the place of those multiple-ears, since in the case of physiological disorders, these appear within the same node, whereas with Spiroplasma they appear in multiple nodes.

Suggestions for leaf blight "The key is maintaining the green area healthy from the early stages. It is necessary to monitor, as well as to control relevant chemicals to avoid significant yield losses near the critical threshold,” Diaz said. She recommended mixtures of triazoles and strobilurins. "Triple mixtures are not being recommended because of signs of interference in fertilization. Another option is to combine synthesis products with stimulants of the defense mechanism. On their own, they do not accomplish an effective control, but in the mix they show a good response," explained Díaz.

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Spiroplasma is a disease transmitted by the commonly known corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis).

Conclusions and sustainable challenges Both specialists emphasized the significance in employing sustainable practices, selecting adapted hybrids and studying their susceptibility to diseases simultaneously with high productivity index. In pursuit of excellence in corn production, the attention toward changing climate conditions and the innovation in disease management are presented as key elements to overcome present and future issues. Because of the complexity in defining these diseases, distribution heterogeneity and the wide range of potential pathogens that may appear this season, when addressing disease diagnosis the specialists suggest constant monitoring and the advice of specialized groups, such as CREA association, the Estación Experimental Obispo Colombres, or comparative tests in plots, among other specialized sources.

PESTS MANAGEMENT

Checklist of safe application Forecasting climate conditions, ensuring equipment cleanliness and controlling compatibility between products and loading processes are some of the vital checks needed.

Watch the entire segment HERE

When pulverizing phytosanitary products is essential to implement certain control measures to ensure the quality and security of the application, the full protection of ecosystems, and the employment of good farming practices regarding agricultural machinery management. With more than 30 years of experience in the pulverization market, Carlos Testa from Agrícola Testa S.R.L., visited us at Agenda Aapresid and explained about the main control measures to conduct safe applications.

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About the machine and the operators It is essential to employ safe practices and to comply with established regulations to protect workers’ health and guarantee the quality of the products. As a first measure, Testa mentioned the need to work with updated vehicular requirements. Therefore, the pulverizing machine must undergo a vehicular technical inspection with an authorized plant health company at the Ministry. This inspection has a one-year duration, so it is done annually, in which the entity issues an ISO certification validating the machine to operate in perfect conditions.

This goes hand in hand with the second requirement, the applicator license. It seems obvious, but in many cases it is not requested and any mistake made by a poorly qualified operator may put both the personnel and the environment at risk. That is why, the operator and the assistant should have an applicator license, since it is crucial that both understand phytosanitary product management. Even though it is not usually required, some establishments demand for farmers to obtain said license in order to know the instructions about dangerous loads handling.

As regards personal protective equipment (PPE), every worker must have it in perfect conditions. Basic equipment should have: Gloves, undamaged and clean. Face mask, with full cover of the eyes area. Mask filters, with a minimum replacement plan of three times throughout the season or according to working hours. Washable clothing, preferably washed in a specific place inside the Chacra so as to avoid moving it to other places. These measures reflect an integral approach to guarantee workers' safety and health, as well as the achievement of quality standards and regulations on phytosanitary products application. "It is important to update personnel constantly, to verify and improve procedures according to new regulations and better practices in the industry," Testa emphasized.

About applications Previous and during pulverization labor, there are certain steps regarding the procedure and precaution of phytosanitary product application that must be followed. The first one is to have a phytosanitary applications certificate and a receipt that underpin the operation. The second step, Testa mentioned, is controlling climate conditions. Currently, modern machinery relies on climatological platforms enabling it to forecast climate conditions before approaching the plot. Many of them have weather stations incorporated in the machine, providing real time information on condition matters throughout

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working hours to avoid drifts caused by wind into unwanted areas. Another point worth mentioning is the cleaning and washing of the pulverizer. The machine should be clean before starting the pulverization process, and washing should be done with specific cleaning products–in liquid form–to eliminate phytosanitary product residues, since some of them cannot be eliminated properly with water or chlorine. External washing of the machine should be done always in one place and ideally on biological beds.

Once equipment cleaning is verified, a checking of the correct selection of nozzles is conducted. There are several types of nozzles, including anti-drift, super anti-drift, flat fan and hollow cone nozzles, each one for a specific purpose according to established protocols. With the equipment in optimal conditions, the loading process can start, which requires less than a half tank of clean water. Some of the products need to be diluted before adding them into the tank, and whatever the case, direct contact between pure active principles should be always avoided. Within this context, a proper practice is to conduct a compatibility test of the product to avoid broth cutting due to incompatible formulations or mixtures. This test can be carried out before entering the plot or previously to application. Lastly, when application is finished, a certificate of application is issued, which leaves a record

of the work done and the conditions on which it was performed. Thus, registration and monitoring of the activity following clear and precise protocols guarantee the application traceability, safety and quality. All of these detailed procedures reflect a full and thorough approach in phytosanitary product application, that every technician, agronomist, contractor and farmer should have as a banner to guarantee workers' safety and effectiveness regarding agricultural activities.

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION

Hydroponics: a "millennial" and "universal" alternative production system Hydroponics conquer every territory, from El Sauce estate in Mendoza province to innovative milking parlors and NASA spatial projects. We invite you to know in detail this innovative solution transforming food production. What is it? How does it work? Where to apply it? Why has it become the cornerstone in the search for a more sustainable and efficient agriculture?

By: Agr. Engr. Antonella Fiore Prospective Program - Aapresid

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Hydroponics and aquaponics: a little bit of history Hydroponics is a production system in which plant roots are not in the soil but in a substrate or in the same nutritive solution used. This nutritive solution, as its name suggests, contains all necessary elements for the plant's growth. Although many people think that hydroponics is a modern technique, associated with great and complex facilities, the truth is that it is a very ancient technique employed by several cultures throughout the history of mankind. Some examples involve the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Aztec Floating Gardens, and even the Egyptians have employed this technique since old times.

Delving further, the history of hydroponics goes back 3000 B.C. In ancient Babylon, farmers cultivated plants in clay bowls filled with stones and water hanging in baskets. The water from the Euphrates River was channeled and directed upward through a series of water wheels, and later it was taken into the fields surrounding the palace. Egyptians used the same type of water distribution system in the Nile River to irrigate their extensive gardens. By working on fertile, flooded plains, they managed to channel the water toward several fields at several times. Moreover, they took advantage of yearly floodwater to transport not only water, but also nutrients for crops. Around 1100 A.D., hydroponics reached the Aztec people, who made some variations to the technique employed by Babylonians and Egyptians. How? By introducing fish into the system. As opposed to Babylon and Egypt where water was taken into the fields, Aztecs moved the crops into the water.

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They used large trunks and other materials to create big floating rafts known as "chinampas". The crops were placed on these rafts covered with soil dredged from the bottom of the swamp. Fish and other aquatic life forms prospered within and below these huge floating rafts, providing not only water rich in nutrients for plants, but also food for the increasing population. That was how the first known record on aquaponics was born. But, when did we name these alternative production systems created by ancient civilizations? It was not until the thirties that hydroponics was defined as we currently know it. Professor William Frederick Gericke, a scientist from California, coined the Greek-origin term Hydro (water) and Ponos (labor/work). However, hydroponics success became a reality as of World War II, when the United States government adopted this system to feed their troops based in the Pacific. In this region, there was no available land and transporting fresh vegetables was extremely expensive. During the second half of the 20th century, the system was refined through the development of new techniques. Said progress was mainly due to the decrease of fertile land in some areas, and to the advantages offered by hydroponic crops in ensuring a constant water and nutrients supply for plants.

The "El Sauce" estate: a production system based on hydroponics and aquaponics. The "El Sauce" estate is located in the region of Guaymallén in Mendoza province, and has been directed by the producer Alejandro Walter David, also from Mendoza, for more than 20 years. Alejandro represents the third generation of producers and says that the work conducted in the estate is purely familiar. "I work with my family, my wife and one of my daughters work by my side during the production process, while my brother-in-law and my father are in charge of selling." The estate is 4 hectares large, of which 0.5ha are used for the storehouses, the park and the

house; and the remaining 3.5ha are intended for greenhouses, where leafy green vegetables and aromatic herbs are produced through hydro and aquaponic systems. There they produce more than 30 varieties of lettuce, pepper, cucumber, tomato, eggplant, aromatic herbs and those called "baby greens", of high demand in the gourmet world. Throughout the years, they suffered several changes. From cultivating the land to the current incorporation of hydroponic systems, along with the efficient improvement of water usage, which made the system more sustainable.

Within the 3.5ha intended for hydroponics, there is one that includes the NFT system– Nutrient Film Technique–, being this the most popular, recirculating hydroponic system in the world, and the floating rafts methodology. Putting it in numbers, they have 70 thousand plants under the NFT system and among 25-30 thousand plants under floating rafts system, and they use coir and grape pomace as substrate. In the remaining 2.5ha they conduct hydroponics in pots or substrate. There is a 2500 m2 area intended for aquaponics, where they combine rainbow trouts with lettuces. This system has a biological filter that transforms ammonia into ammonium (NH+4). Generated ammonia (NH3) is included into solely hydroponic systems. Mendoza province–characterized by its desert climate and hail in certain times of the year–may be a headache for various farmers in the area. However, the greenhouse with this hydroponic system provides significant advantages for lettuce production by diminishing stress caused by high temperatures, hail, pests and diseases that they would be exposed to in field crops. At the "El Sauce" estate, production is uninterrupted throughout 365 days a year. If they harvest 500 lettuce plants in the morning, they sow 500 seedlings in the afternoon, which will be harvested several weeks later– depending if it is summer or winter–and the process starts all over again.

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Alejandro David emphasizes the quality and quantity that the hydroponic system offers in comparison to the traditional systems. "The difference is 7x1. For example, in the field you could harvest 100 plants, but with hydroponics we obtain 700 plants a year. These systems

need large initial investments and there is much more work for the people. We produce 365 days a year. We do not work on Sundays, but from Monday to Saturday we harvest between 3000 and 3500 lettuce plants daily.

Temperature, pH and nutrition management: the secrets to produce high quality lettuce in large quantities and in a short time. At "El Sauce" estate, they have a computer in charge of maintaining pH, its conductivity and the temperature of the system in optimal conditions for the plant. The temperature of the water should rise, maintaining a minimum of 14°C in winter and a maximum of 28°C in summer. These conditions ensure plants’ comfort state favoring fast development and growth. With the objective of making the system even more sustainable, they are incorporating solar panels. Although hydroponics uses less water, energy consumption is still significant. Thus, the addition of panels contributes to energy costs reduction as well. Answering to the market demands, "El Sauce" estate seeks for production to have good color, flavor and quality. They commercialize in the collective market in Guaymallén, under the estate's brand, where numerous people buy products in order to sell them in other markets,

Alejandro explains. As a result, they expanded their reach toward Las Heras and Godoy Cruz markets. Distributors also come from provinces such as Buenos Aires, San Luis, San Juan, Chaco, Formosa, Misiones and La Pampa, supplying the entire country.

Fodder, hydroponic and milking parlor: is this combination possible? In Mendoza province, particularly in Las Heras city, it is located one of the three milking parlors studying an innovative combination of fodder, hydroponic and milking parlor. The establishment is already producing feed for livestock under controlled environmental conditions and no ground, which saves up to 70% compared to conventional fodder. These three milking parlors belong to two producers from Mendoza and are affected by several factors, mainly drought, high food costs and the lack of profitability in the milk industry. Both producers supply one industrial consumer with the milk of almost 200 animals grazing in the province. It is Yogurlac, the only local company competing against gigantic milk companies.

Last year in July, the first "harvest" of hydroponic green fodder was conducted, produced in the micro-tunnels built in Tambo Guercio (milking parlor) located in El Borbollón city, Las Heras region. This investment allowed to reduce costs in comparison with conventional fodder, being almost 70% cheaper, besides accomplishing major water saving. The tunnel is 50 meters long and is the only one in west Argentina, since due to its features, it generates between 260 and 300 kilograms of fodder daily to feed 60 cows. This quality fodder is combined with balanced feed, improving produced milk fat content by 30% and the animal's digestibility. CIRCA Circular Carbon company also joined this project, and will conduct control and monitoring of carbon footprint generated by this initiative.

Hydroponics at the end of the world: production of horticultural seedlings in Esperanza base located in the Antarctic Peninsula Earlier this year, the Antarctic Hydroponic Production module (MAPHI 2 in Spanish) in Antarctica was implemented, according to the Argentine government's official page (www. argentina.gob.ar). Esperanza base is home for more than 60 people devoted to several activities, such as exploration and examination of land, geography, refuge building, topography study, fauna, flora and meteorology. This base is also

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home for several families. The residents in this base can spend up to a year in the white continent, that is why fresh and quality food are of vital importance. Due to the installation of MAPHI 2, the base has now the capacity to produce lettuce, parsley, basil and Swiss chard via hydroponic systems (Image 1)

Image 1. At Esperanza base in the Antarctica, MAPHI 2 promotes hydroponics, providing fresh and quality food for the residents in the white continent (Credits to: www.argentina.gob.ar)

"This is the second module that was fastly established and installed owing to the contributions of the Joint Antarctic Command and to the successful experience of the first module settled in Marambio base," said Jorge Birgi, project manager and specialist at INTA's Santa Cruz Agricultural Experiment Station. And added: "We are very pleased with the result, it is a great achievement to have a module in such an important base as Esperanza, which will improve the quality of life of the families and scientists living there all year round." MAPHI 2 is the result of the joint and coordinated work between INTA, Joint Antarctic Command, National Directorate for Antarctic and the National University of Southern Patagonia. MAPHI 2 installation was executed in record

time, due to the contributions of the icebreaker Almirante Irizar, which transported everything that was needed for this project. Similarly to its predecessor, MAPHI 1, the productive system at Esperanza base is hydroponic and indoor, meaning that crops are developed in a liquid medium, without ground, in a space where humidity and temperature conditions are monitored in real time to allow production throughout the year. "As regards biological inputs, certified and treated seeds were used in order to guarantee their innocuousness, selected by prioritizing their resistance to low temperatures, according to biosecurity regulations and the National Directorate for Antarctic guideline," Birgi

mentioned. He also said that in order to meet the Antarctic Treaty regulations, seeds are transported in high-impact resistance containers to avoid their spreading. Moreover, every container is identified with QR codes allowing tracking and guaranteeing the genetic material traceability. "This job is carried out by the plant pathology laboratory of INTA's Agricultural Experiment Station in Mendoza," he pointed out. The structure is twice the size of MAPHI 1, which will make it possible to expand into new crops, try different horticultural species and varieties, and examine other hydroponic production systems in the Antarctic continent.

NASA: Hydroponic crops in space A hundred years ago, it was unthought-of, but today hydroponics is also a crop solution employed by NASA for the production of vegetables and leafy greens in space. The objective is to grow vegetables–lettuce, tomato, pepper, onion and radish–to feed astronauts in orbit and during longlasting space trips (Image 2). The Vegetable Production System, known as Veggie, is a research project developed by Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) in 2013 in Madison, Wisconsin. The system is designed to grow low-cost, major-yield, high nutritional value plants in outer space, considering the environment's microgravity.

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This mechanism allows the development of vegetable organisms in a chamber, where plants grow with the help of substrates and no ground. Veggie is made out of three modules: The first one involves several-colored LED lights (red, blue, green) at the top, that illuminate plants and facilitate their growing. Subsequently, there is a container at the bottom working as a support when adding substrate to keep crops hydrated, as it is connected to a water deposit. The third module is a protective cover for crops. The benefits of growing plants in space do not end there, astronauts report that the

time devoted to leafy greens production has psychological benefits, improving their quality of life in space. Studies aboard the space station are triggering necessary progress on technology and scientific knowledge to successfully grow plants in space, contributing to widen the boundaries of space trips. Furthermore, this work also contributes to the improvement of plant growing practices for food and other important uses on Earth.

Image 2. Mike Hopkins enjoys one of the hydroponic plantations of expedition 64 of the ISS (Credits to: NASA).

REFERENCIAS

Check the references by entering www.aapresid.org.ar/blog/revista-aapresid-n-215

Hydroponics: a universal system from ancient times up to space

“El Sauce” estate, in Mendoza province, is an example of technology evolution, modernism and sustainability in new hydroponic systems.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are proof of this ancient technique dating from 3000 B.C. and employed by past civilizations.

Aztec Chinampas

Illustration of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Picture of the system at “El Sauce” estate

Aztec Chinampas, the innovative aquaponic from 1100 A.D. that combined fish and plants on floating rafts intended for feeding the increasing population. Credit to: diariomendoza.com.ar

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Créditos: diariomendoza.com.ar

Credit to: NASA

Cultivating in extreme environmental conditions: lettuce production at Esperanza base in Antarctica. Milking parlors combining fodder and hydroponics

Astronauts cultivating in space

Plants in Esperanza base

Innovative combination of fodder, hydroponics and milking parlors in Las Heras, Mendoza, ensuring 70% of cost savings compared with conventional fodder.

Cultivating in space. Veggie, NASA’s project that is revolutionizing space agriculture with hydroponic crops to feed astronauts in orbit.

Credit to: argentina.gob.ar

NOTEWORTHY CIENCIA Y ASSOCIATE AGRO

The agronomist that challenged destiny and sowed restless, resilience-full DNA From the core of the field in Cordoba province, Daniel Cotorás, agricultural engineer and proud associate of Aapresid, shares his story marked by diagnosis and accident-proof resilience. A committed advocate of soil who finds his true vocation in the field, his family and Aapresid.

By: Lucía Cuffia

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Daniel Cotorás is an agricultural engineer, a father and a proud Aapresid associate for over 15 years. Marked by intense moments and unexpected twists going beyond the limits of Córdoba's field, which saw him grow up, his story reflects a spirit of resilience, love for his family and an unbreakable commitment for the land he works on.

Profile Name: Daniel Antonio Cotorás Profession/Activity: Agricultural Engineering Place of birth: San Marcos Sud - Córdoba province Family: Married to Constanza, Emilia’s (3) father Hobbies: "On Sundays I like to go to the soccer field to cheer for Defensores de San Marcos or stay at home to enjoy some time with my family. I am quite traditional."

Challenging death A car accident, just a week before he took his final exam to become an agricultural engineer, turns into the prologue of his story. Colliding head-on into a pickup truck left a permanent mark in his memory and made him cherish every day more. "The same year I finished my classes, I proposed to my wife, and a week before I took my final exam, I crashed head-on into a pickup truck." He needs a pause to continue with the story. At that moment, he remembers a calendar with pictures of his entire life going through his mind. "When the truck finally stopped, I saw the image of my three grandparents as if they were protecting me." The truck was totally destroyed, but Daniel was able to walk out as if nothing had happened. There is no doubt, that was not his time. "God did not want me with him." However, destiny kept playing its cards. "In the examinations after the accident, the doctors discovered a little spot in my thyroid, but they did not give it importance. Two years later, in a checkup, I underwent a puncture and then the doctors confirmed I had a cancerous tumor," Daniel tells us.

The news arrived at a crucial time in his life because his wife, Constanza, was pregnant with Emilia. "That Wednesday afternoon, my wife and my sister had arranged a trip to Córdoba on Friday for me and my dad. But I told them that I would go on Monday instead of Friday because I knew that Emilia would be born." His intuition was right. "That same day they told me it was a malignant tumor and that I had to get surgery, Emilia was born. It was as if everything was marked after the accident," he reflects, in an attempt to understand so many events. That was on January 30, 2020. 15 days later he got surgery and started a treatment that during the first months limited his quality time with his wife and daughter. In spite of all that emotional turmoil, it was another lesson in resilience in his life.

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Growing passions in Córdoba's fields Born and raised in the field, Daniel is passionate for land. His clear commitment with soil protection is timeless. His father, Aapresid associate and farmer, always repeated a phrase that now Daniel adopted for his own: "The field is not a heritance from a father, but a loan from a grandson." "I spent all my life in the field. Even though I live in a town now–San Marcos Sud–I visit the field every day," he says. Since he was a kid, he learned to appreciate the meaning of cultivation and taking care of the land. His childhood and life took place in that setting, he went to a rural school and then to the town school. One fact he proudly mentions is that both he and his sister had perfect attendance during all of their school years. "Punctuality is something I like, and if I commit to something, I abide by it," he claims, and emphasized it is something he learned from his parents. Daniel's curiosity led him to explore the agribusiness world since he was a child by joining his father on daily tasks. At the age of 7, he had already learned how to drive tractors. Always restless, he participated in lectures and congresses with his father and uncle, and received the visits of engineers, absorbing experiences and knowledge about the improvement of farming practices. He likes "wheels" the most, he rather be driving a machine than seated in front of a computer, he confesses.

"The field is my place," he claims. It is where he spent his childhood, and it is where he is today as well. In his day-to-day life, Daniel, together with his father and collaborators, participates in a wide variety of tests. When the question "What would happen if we test this?" arise, they do not doubt in trying to find an answer. There are those who told him that his field looks mostly like an experimental unit, although he denies it. Daniel also contributes actively to tests and investigations conducted in the soil and water management class at the Department

of Agronomy from the University of Córdoba. Actually, every year he shares his experiences in two classes, invited by Cecilia Vettorello, Gustavo Esmoriz and Lucas Molina, professors and research colleagues. Currently, he is starting a new project together with his wife: the establishment of a seed laboratory. While waiting for the official authorization, this new undertaking reinforces the restless and entrepreneurial spirit Daniel and his wife share.

The twists of a career that gave him more than a degree Daniel's interest was always centered toward the field. Once he completed high school, his mother and sister suddenly signed him up for the agronomy course. Although he abandoned his studies after two years due to a family issue. The decisive turn happened around his 23-years old, while he was working on hybrid tests along with INTA. Two engineers challenged him to the point he decided to move to Córdoba to resume his career. Daniel confesses that his wife also played a significant role at this stage. They met at university as classmates, and over time they became life partners.

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Despite living in Córdoba while studying, he would return to town on weekends to be with his family, to work a little and to attend the soccer field to cheer for his favorite team Club Defensores de San Marcos.

Aapresid: more than an institution, a community Joining Aapresid was a natural step for Daniel, influenced by his father, who was an associate since the first congresses in the '90s in Villa Giardino. "My dad and I have a good relationship with Jorge Romagnoli, who always encouraged us to do things to improve and evolve," he says. In 2007, during a training trip abroad, Daniel met Mauricio Pelagagge, who was then the regional technical assistant at Chacra Justiniano Posse, and promised him that when he graduates, he would join the group. "And that is how it went. After I graduated, I texted him and asked him if I could join them, and so I did." Previously, he had made contact with people from regional offices in Río Segundo and Alta Gracia cities, with whom he had shared experiences about service crops and soil conservation, increasing his interest in joining them.

A very restless and committed life Daniel's day-to-day life goes beyond the field and Aapresid's meetings. "I am a very family guy. In my free time, I like to be with my family, watch series or movies on Netflix," he tells us. Although lately he is mostly watching Bluey, Paw Patrol and The Little Mermaid, he says, laughing. Since 2004, he and his family have decided to not work on Sundays and they follow that rule strictly. "First comes the family. Then the commitment with the land and the institution, always seeking to enjoy what you do," he closes.

Today, besides being an associate and a member of Chacra Justiniano Posse, he is part of the Board of Directors as Deputy Director of regional offices, he collaborates actively with different teams and was chosen to moderate institutional meetings, a kind gesture from Andrés Garciarena he remembers fondly, emphasizing his commitment. In WhatsApp, he has now 12 active groups related to Aapresid. "To be a part of Aapresid means sharing, learning and enriching each other," Daniel highlights. "The exchange of results and the experiences generated in several fields benefit us all," he added.

LIVESTOCK FARMING

Meat with passport: traceability as a market tool Traceability in livestock farming is key before global demands for transparency. Efficient systems and certifications allow the access toward international markets, as the Uruguay case can exemplified. Investments in these practices is essential for the competitiveness and sustainability of the meat supply chain in Argentina.

By: Dr Agr. Engr. José Martín Jáuregui Associate Professor Cátedra Forrajes (FCA - UNL).

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In the last years, consumers of the world have caused a meaningful change in the market's dynamics. This change has been boosted by an increasing demand for transparency and sustainability in food production. This trend is especially noticeable in countries with high purchasing power representing key markets for our exports. These countries' consumers are increasingly interested in knowing the origin of the food they buy and making sure that these products do not compromise the needs of future generations. This caused an increase in the demand for food produced in a sustainable manner, focusing in soil, water and environmental conservation.

As a response to this demand have emerged several certifications seeking to guarantee and communicate to consumers about quality and sustainability of products, particularly in the meat sector. These certifications address aspects like hormone and antibiotic absence, carbon neutrality and non-deforestation, among others. However, to obtain these certifications, it is crucial to implement effective traceability systems that not only track the origin and management of animals in a certain area, but also provide a detailed record of each animal in particular.

This traceability turns into an essential ally to access international markets that demand an increasing thorough understanding on imported food production. Moreover, it is not just a tool to comply with the regulations and standards of the market, but also a key differentiator that can open doors to new markets and business opportunities for Argentinian meat producers.

Traceability in livestock farming Traceability in meat production is the capability to track the origin and journey of an animal, or batch of animals, throughout the meat supply chain. To the highest extent, this system allows to identify where an animal came from and how it ended in the meat section of a supermarket, as well as to register every movement the animal made since breeding, fattening, transporting, butchering and processing. Traceability provides transparency and information about bovine meat chain productive processes. Moreover, it facilitates fast location of the animal's origins in case of problems or diseases, offering the consumer a guarantee regarding the origin and conditions in which the food was obtained. Primary elements in a traceability system include individual identification of each animal through visual or electronic tags, chips or tattoos, manual or digitized register of every movement between establishments, and documentation connecting live animals with their meat. The livestock farming sector faces the challenge of employing these tools to increase effective production, improve sanitary status and comply with increasing strict commercial demands. Electronic traceability usually has multiple advantages in comparison with other manual systems. Some of them are:

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Speed, efficiency and less errors: Electronic systems allow to register and consult data in real time about movement and location of animals throughout the supply chain. Moreover, it avoids manual loading of data in sheet forms, minimizes transcription errors and improves information reliability. Major reach: Digitization enables database centralization process of different links– breeders, winter grazers, feedlots, meat processing plants, etc.–creating an integrated and uninterrupted traceability on every animal. Easiness in data analysis: Computer processing allows to run complex information analyses on all relevant metrics by detecting improvement opportunities at different links of the chain. Optimization of logistical processes: Better traceability enables the coordination between the actors of the bovine meat supply chain in order to administer ins and outs of animals and cattle transportation. An efficient traceability system does not only enable producers to comply with international regulations, but it also responds to consumers' ethical and environmental concerns. In

the European Union, for instance, rigorous traceability for meat imports is required, guaranteeing meat producers compliance with high security and quality standards. Similarly, in markets like Japan and South Korea, traceability plays a significant role in satisfying consumers’ expectations about the quality and

origin of products. This trend has encouraged many producer countries to make important investments aiming at improving traceability systems, thus accomplishing a more efficient and transparent tracking of the entire meat supply chain.

Certifications as an access to global market In the meat industry, certifications have become a key element to access international markets and to satisfy the demands of those consumers of high purchasing power. These certifications include labels like "no hormones", "no antibiotics", "grass-fed beef", "carbon

neutral" and "deforestation free", among others (Image 1). Each of these labels improve product awareness among consumers, and give access to more profitable and environmentally conscious market opportunities.

Image 1. Grass-fed beef with no added hormones on a supermarket shelf in Brisbane, Australia.

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For example, certification of antibiotic-free meat has won popularity in markets like the United States and Canada, where consumers are increasingly concerned about antibiotic resistance and public health. Likewise, the "deforestation-free" label could begin to take form in European markets. This is because, recently, the European Union passed a law prohibiting product imports from those deforested lands after 2020, including bovine meat. This law, which seeks to stop European contributions with global deforestation, involves the need that export companies prove that the meat they send to the EU does not come from deforested areas.

The case of Uruguay Uruguay stands out as one of the most notable examples in the importance of traceability and certification when accessing international markets. This country has reached an important milestone by becoming one of the first meat suppliers with carbon neutral certification to Europe (Image 2). Uruguay implemented a livestock traceability system that has become one of the most advanced in the region. This system facilitates animal tracking from their birth to the point of sale, guaranteeing incomparable quality and security for consumers. Traceability has been a key factor for Uruguay to position itself as a reliable and high-quality supplier in the international market.

Certification of 'antibiotic-free' meat has won popularity in markets like the United States and Canada, where consumers are increasingly concerned about antibiotic resistance and public health.

This recent achievement of exporting carbon neutral meat to Europe is a clear example of how environmental certifications can open the doors to new markets. To obtain this certification, Uruguayan producers had to prove that their carbon footprint during their meat production was totally neutral. This was attained through sustainable practices, such as pasture efficient management, reforestation and emission reduction at every stage of the production process.

This case proves the viability of sustainable production practices in livestock farming, and also how these can turn into a competitive advantage in the global market. Uruguay experience can be used as a role model for other countries seeking to develop their access to international markets through traceability and certifications.

Image 2. Carbon neutral meat exported from Uruguay. There are also other labels such as "Animal Welfare", "Angus Uruguay verified" and "Never ever 3"–free of hormones, antibiotics and animal by-products in diet.

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Conclusión Employing effective systems of animal traceability is a pragmatic response for those new demands of trade partners like the European Union. It also represents a strategic long-term investment in the sustainability and competitiveness of Argentinian meat supply chain in global markets. In a world where environmental awareness and transparency demands regarding productive systems are increasing, traceability is presented as an essential asset. It enables to ensure the quality origin of Argentine bovine meat and to certify good environmental practices, among other benefits. This means new opportunities to access high valuable niches currently rewarding sustainable production processes, but it could also set traceability as a basic standard for accessing markets in the future. The case of our neighbor Uruguay is the example to follow. Due to strong investments in animal traceability from farm to shelf, the country is currently exporting bovine meat to markets that are paying up to 50% higher costs. Argentina has the same capability to enhance its livestock farming based on traceability and certifications. It is time to draw a clear route, with transparent game rules that promote good practices in the entire sector. Benefits will be integral: more competitive livestock farming, major reliability from consumers and better-preserved environment.

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