“We can lose everything because of this pest” 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, up to 40% of global crop production is lost to plant pests and diseases each year.¹ For Eliane Quintela, this isn't just a number. Working closely with farmers across Brazil, she sees firsthand how pest pressure can affect crop quality, harvest outcomes, and ultimately livelihoods. That's why helping growers understand and manage pest pressure is such an important part of her work.

Climate change is reshaping the plant health landscape.

Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events are creating favorable conditions for plant pests and diseases to thrive, putting additional pressure on crops and harvests.

Helping growers respond to these realities is a key part of Eliane's work. Through her experience in the field, she sees how pest pressures can vary across crops, regions, and growing seasons, making flexibility an important consideration in modern pest management.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), resistance management, and other crop protection strategies help growers adapt to changing conditions and evolving pest pressures.

Eliane values solutions that can be incorporated into broader crop protection strategies.

One example is Plenexos®, Bayer's ketoenol insecticide designed for both foliar and soil application.

Plenexos® covers potencial use in soybean, cotton, citrus, tomato, potato, and bean crops, supporting the management of specific sucking pests in registered uses, including whiteflies, aphids, and psyllids.

The impact of pests and diseases extends beyond individual fields, affecting food production, food security, and agricultural resilience. 

Based on her experience supporting growers and studying pest pressures, Eliane highlights several priorities for the future:

• Investing in agricultural research and innovation

• Supporting farmers in adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices

• Expanding access to plant health knowledge and technologies

• Strengthening collaboration across science, agriculture, industry, policymakers and farmers

Looking ahead, Eliane believes that bringing these efforts together can help farmers make informed decisions in the field and continue producing the food the world depends on.