Caterpillars ignored in soybean crops can become a problem in the second crop season.

The management of Spodoptera frugiperda It still represents a challenge in systems that integrate soy, corn second crop and cottonThe presence of the caterpillar in the oilseed crop can favor its multiplication and increase the pest pressure on subsequent crops, raising the risk of losses throughout the growing season.

With a focus on the 2026/27 season, AgBiTech Brasil launched the Spodoptera Barrier campaign, aimed at raising awareness among producers about the need to control the pest from the soybean stage onwards. According to Victor Hugo Costa, a specialist at the company, some soybean farmers still do not consider the damage caused by the caterpillar to be significant, although losses can range between 10% and 20% of production.

The concern is growing because the survival of the pest in soybeans could expand its population in corn and cotton. In these crops, according to Costa, losses could reach 70% of production, with estimated losses between 20 and 30 sacks per hectare.

Researcher Cecilia Czepak, from the Federal University of Goiás, had already warned that unmanaged soybean areas can act as breeding grounds for caterpillars, favoring population explosions in subsequent crops.

The campaign includes technical support for the use of baculovirus and its rotation with chemical products. Company trials have shown superior efficacy to 80% in controlling the pest in soybeans and corn with baculovirus applied at the beginning of infestations. "This practice became necessary given the enormous capacity for multiplication of the caterpillar towards subsequent crops," says Marcellino. "There is potential in Brazilian soybean farming for the advancement of baculovirus adoption as a strategic management tool for 'Spodoptera frugiperda'."