Helicoverpa and Spodoptera outbreaks over biotech crops among most severe in years

The outbreak of Helicoverpa spp caterpillars on next-generation soybean biotechnologies, currently observed in some of the primary producing regions, is emerging as one of the most significant in recent years at the start of the harvest season. 

There are also widespread reports of Spodoptera frugiperda in soybeans, corn, cotton, and pastures.

The warning comes from researcher Germison Tomquelski, a master's and doctoral degree holder in agronomy from Desafios Agro in Chapadão do Sul (MS). According to the researcher, there are reports of significant Helicoverpa and Spodoptera outbreaks in areas of Bahia, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul primarily.

"Helicoverpa has an extremely high destructive potential," Tomquelski emphasized. "We are facing a year of many challenges. We have soybeans for 45 to 60 days. The crop is not advanced, but it is now entering its reproductive cycle, the stage that requires the most attention regarding Helicoverpa. At this phase, the caterpillar is highly detrimental—a single individual can consume up to 36 pods," he explained.

Currently, Tomquelski's primary recommendations to producers are to rigorously monitor crops and apply insecticides when the caterpillar population dynamics demand it.

"Confronting a pest with such potential raises concerns about systemic remnants. Producers must intervene according to population dynamics to prevent new individuals, moths, and caterpillars from building up intense pressure when soybeans are podding. Losses can easily reach five to ten bags per hectare," he stressed.

For Tomquelski, despite commodity prices not reaching expected levels and the sector facing potential insecticide market shortages, "producers cannot be careless or caught off guard by a pest threatening crop profitability. The loss could be worse if they don't invest."

"An important point is that many producers were unprepared for these significant caterpillar outbreaks at the start of the harvest. In recent years, Helicoverpa, for example, had diminished and appeared sporadically," Tomquelski continued.

Beyond chemical insecticides and resistance management practices, the researcher highlights the growing relevance of biological products in effectively managing Helicoverpa and Spodoptera caterpillars. "Baculoviruses have been performing well. It is an effective technology. Among biological solutions, it is one of the most efficient," Tomquelski said in conclusion.

Active across the national agricultural frontier, Desafios Agro is a company that conducts agricultural research, crop-livestock integration, technical projects, technical assistance, lectures, and training. It is headquartered in Mato Grosso, one of the world's largest soybean producers.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)