Experts: 'The problem isn't pests, it's us' as crop technologies lose effectiveness

The escalating problem of crop damage by pests, particularly the Spodoptera frugiperda moth, demands immediate and coordinated action, according to experts. At the Aapresid 2026 Congress, entomologists from Brazil and Argentina convened to discuss the declining effectiveness of pest control technologies, concluding with a stark realization: "The problem is not the pests, it is us."

Celso Omoto from the University of São Paulo and Gabriela Murua from the Institute of Bioprospecting and Plant Physiology addressed the resistance Spodoptera frugiperda has developed against Vip3A technology. Brazil has grappled with this resistance for over a decade, offering a cautionary tale for Argentina. Omoto stressed that integrated pest management is ineffective when implemented in isolation, urging for public policies that promote and monitor the adoption of proven strategies to preserve Bt technology in corn crops.

Omoto noted that in Brazil, refuge areas, where 10% of the land is left without Vip technology to concentrate the pests, are a recommendation, not a mandate. However, the low adoption rate of these refuges under recommended conditions has accelerated the pest's resistance. Murua added that Argentina appears less prepared than Brazil in integrated pest management and the use of Bt technologies. A study across 62 locations in Argentina revealed differentiated behaviors in Spodoptera populations, suggesting that resistance management cannot be uniform across the country. Experts called for regional strategies, emphasizing collaboration among consultants, companies, and producers, ideally supported by legislation.