Embrapa found the presence of hybrids of the caterpillar Helicoverpain Brazilian crops since 2012. Even so, the presence of these hybrid species did not cause economic impacts on Brazilian agricultural systems.
“In this way, caution is needed when drawing conclusions related to hybrids. We can not minimize the problem, that is, disregard the occurrence and the potential impacts or maximize it, catching catastrophes in agroecosystems, “warn researchers Daniel Sosa-Gómez of Embrapa Soja and Alexandre Specht of Embrapa Cerrados.
The first outbreaks of the caterpillar Helicoverpa armigera However, this species has been present in the country since at least 2008. For Specht, identification of the H. armigera caterpillar was initially hampered due to its a great resemblance to the native Helicoverpa zea, commonly known as caterpillar-spikes, which preferentially attacks maize.