Integration of chemical and biological pesticides increases fruit productivity in Northeast Brazil

Horticulture is one of the largest agricultural productions in Brazil and is located mainly in the Northeast. According to the Brazilian Association of Exporters of Fruits and Derivatives (Abrafrutas), the region has important characteristics for these crops, such as a tropical climate with high temperatures, sunshine, a defined rainy season and fertile soils. In total, fruit and vegetable production occupies an area of just over 5 million hectares, with the country being the third largest fruit producer in the world, second only to China and India. Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, for example, are renowned for the quality of their melons and watermelons, while Pernambuco and Bahia are known for their mangoes and table grapes. In Paraíba, pineapple cultivation reaches levels close to 10,000 hectares planted per year and represented more than 50% of the gross value of all state fruit production in 2021. “These data show the great importance of the fruit and vegetable segment for the ...