Services
Analysis of vegetable products
Laboratory analyses: diagnosis of sugarcane diseases
Fruit quality analysis, including pH, acidity level and percentage of soluble solids
Diagnosis of citrus diseases. Phytopathology Clinic, accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, assists the entire citrus sector in Brazil
Molecular diagnosis (DNA) for genotyping citrus rootstocks
Sanity analysis for the detection of fungi in seeds of laboratory plants
Drought analysis updated daily by INFOSECA
(access on-line): droughts are one of the most severe meteorological adversities that hit agriculture. IAC monitors the hydric conditions in several regions in the State of São Paulo, so as to help the farmers adopt measures that minimize the negative effects of these adverse weather conditions on their crops. Urban users are also kept informed.
Agrometeorological information provided by CIIAGRO::
besides drought conditions, other meteorological events, like adverse temperatures, may cause severe damage to agriculture. The Integrated Agrometeorological Information Center (CIIAGRO) provides, on a daily basis, weather and climate related information for the entire State of São Paulo. It makes the farmers more confident about carrying out such agricultural activities as irrigation and agrochemical application.
Characterization of the production environment :
detailed information on historical average temperature and rainfall, among other meteorological data, are supplied in the form of bulletins. This service includes all areas covered by IAC meteorological stations, the largest state network in Brazil.
Soil and plant analysis
Laboratory analyses: diagnosis of diseases, pests and nematodes in plants, grain and seed, potato-infecting viruses
Technological assistance for the production of seed potato free from viruses and for virus disease control
Diagnosis of nursery diseases
Genetic diagnosis in citrus fruit
Symptomatological diagnosis of coffee tree diseases
Extraction of essential oils
Taxonomic identification of plants and information on economic botany
Knowledge exchange, quarantine and conservation of vegetable germplasm
Evaluation of machinery and agricultural components (performance and safety)
Analysis of spray adjuvant products
Evaluation of the quality of personal protection clothing, worn at agrochemical applications
Image analysis for counting and dimensioning particles, roots and foliar areas
Vegetables and fruit quality evaluation (commercial products testing, evaluation of new cultivars and storage testing).
Technological analysis of fibers, yarns and seeds
Processing of 20 cotton boll samples
Technological analysis of cotton fibers at the HVI
Technical guidance on cotton management and harvest
Georeferenced planning
Analysis of residues and evaluation of agrochemical effectiveness on agricultural crops
Technology transference through training – lectures to growers, technicians, agronomists and undergraduates.
Soil fertility analysis
Soil analysis for soil fertility evaluation and for fertilizer recommendation. The best manner to evaluate soil fertility is through soil analysis. Based on the results of the analyses, it is possible to determine the ideal proportions of lime and fertilizers for good yields and profits from the crop. The IAC methods comply with all CONAMA and CETESB standards.
Plant analysis for nutritional evaluation. Evaluation of the macronutrient and micronutrient levels in plant samples for evaluating the nutritional status of the plant.
Analyses of plant media and soil conditioners. Specific analyses for determining the available levels of micronutrients and macronutrients. Parameters utilized by the MAPA to attest to the effectiveness of these products: pH determination, electrical conductivity (EC), cation-exchange capacity (CEC), water holding capacity (WHC), dry and moist density and humidity. The following contaminants are also examined: toxic metals, thermo tolerant coliforms, salmonella and viable helminth eggs.
Fertilizer and residue analysis
Lime. Also called acidity corrective, calcium carbonate or, erroneously, simple mineral fertilizer, seeing that its function does not consist in supplying nutrients to the plants.
Organic compounds. Composted matter or organic fertilizer.
Sugarcane derivatives. Juice, must, sorghum or molasses.
Residues. Different materials of which the nutrients and possible contaminants, likely to make their use improper for agriculture, are analyzed. Regarding solid waste, in compliance with CONAMA. Resolution 375, analyses are focused on chemically characterizing the macronutrients, micronutrients and inorganic contaminants. Cane vinasse is the only liquid that was analyzed, according to CETESB Page 4.231, SEM DBO and DQO.
Soils. Only for determining total metal contents for environmental monitoring purposes.
Fertilizers. Analysis through the MAPA’s official methods.
Soil physical analysis
Soil water retention curve. It allows an adequate estimate of the amount of plant available water retained in soil. In the analysis of soil management systems, in dimensioning irrigation systems and irrigation control through tension meters, the parameters calculated through data from the retention curve are fundamental, like field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP). The difference between these two points is called available water (AW), which is an important measure for determining the amount and optimal time for irrigation.
Compaction. It is an alteration in soil structure that affects plant growth. It translates into soil density, low porosity and resistance to root growth. The identification of the presence and depth of compact layers is important when it comes to defining whether it is necessary or not to resort to such soil management practices as subsoiling, for example. The compaction measure is an indicator of soil structure quality. Soil resistance: it is evaluated through a field test, with penetrometers (pocket or impact) or penetrograghs. Density and porosity are determined in the laboratory, based on undeformed samples and they relate to soil mass and volume.
Granulometrics. It is essential for learning about soil texture, classification, erodibility and other applications in the area of soil chemistry and physics. The Soil Physics Laboratory has been accredited by the CGCRE/INMETRO (National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality), by NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard for carrying out granulometric analyses through the pipette method and through the densimeter method. This standard attests to the technical competence of the units, including technically valid data and results, with entirely traceable procedures that comply with quality standards.
Aggregate stability. Aggregation is a dynamic property, highly sensitive to soil management, related to the organic matter content and to soil texture. Stability alterations in aggregates interfere with soil’s capacity to resist to raindrop impact and, consequently, to erosion. Soil physical quality can then be evaluated by the stability of its aggregates which, in laboratory, is determined through water screening.
Soil microbiology analysis
Microbiological analyses: microbial biomass carbon, thermo-tolerant coliforms, liberation of CO2 (respiration), microbial biomass nitrogen, viable helminth eggs, Salmonella sp.
Enzyme activity analysis: cellulose, desidrogenasis, acid phosphatase, protease, urease.
Quantification Analyses: bacteria+actinomicetis, fungi, amylolytic microrganisms, ammonificator microrganisms, cellulolytic microrganisms, nitrificator microrganisms.