AgBiTech warns of subpar baculoviruses in Brazil

As the world's largest manufacturer of bioinsecticides for caterpillars, AgBiTech has warned of baculoviruses being produced and applied in Brazil without technological support or quality control.

According to the company, experts and researchers have recently reported that these baculoviruses, used in the production of biological insecticides, have proven to be unsuitable.

They stated that there are several reports related to performance losses in caterpillar control and decreases in farmers’ profitability.

"Few companies produce baculoviruses at the right scale, quality and consistency," said Marcelo Lima, agronomic engineer and technical manager of AgBiTech Brazil.

The company revealed that it has mobilized its technical team to issue warnings to farmers.

"Producers must choose bioinsecticides from reputable companies, due to the risk of compromising productive potential, crop health and their assets," Lima added.

Gustavo Shiomi, also an agronomist and head of marketing at AgBiTech Brazil, pointed out that according to recent data from the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea), the average cost of insecticides, in general, accounts for 8% of a producer's investment in soybean cultivation.

On the other hand, specific insecticides for caterpillars represent only between 2% and 4% of total expenses, estimated to be around R$5,700.

"One cannot risk so much for so little by opting for unsuitable baculoviruses," Shiomi stressed.

AgBiTech agronomists have noted that the production of baculoviruses is a highly complex technical process.

"The methodology has to be 'in vivo,' that is, in live caterpillars. This model imposes on companies the challenge of breeding caterpillars on a large scale, with the main aim of avoiding contamination and controlling insect mortality," Lima said.

To infect caterpillars, it is also necessary to create separate environments for their breeding, he added.

Shiomi also said that ″high-quality bioinsecticides are formulated, packaged and undergo rigorous quality control.″

In Brazil, AgBiTech stressed that it has over twenty years of experience in the large-scale production of baculoviruses for seven crops, positioning itself as a current leader in bioinsecticides for major crops.

The company operates a state-of-the-art plant in the United States, which can serve the entire global market.

In this unit, over 1.5 million caterpillars are bred daily and are used to produce baculovirus-based insecticides with the highest industrial standards and a shelf life of five years, Lima and Shiomi said.

"AgBiTech continuously invests in delivering high-quality technologies, technical support, competitive prices and consistency in deliveries to producers. Highly qualified consulting, another significant differentiator of the company in Brazil, is essential for the successful management of caterpillars. That is why we are in the field daily, alongside producers," Shiomi said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)