Understanding pesticide fate and behavior is imperative to optimize efficacy, reduce residue levels and ensure environmental and human health are not adversely affected. Pesticide fate depends on numerous factors including physical and chemical properties of the pesticide as well as characteristics of the system including, but not limited to, application timing, crop stage, environmental conditions and edaphic attributes. Pesticide absorption by shoots and roots is influenced by pesticide physicochemical properties, notably molecular size, composition, and lipophilicity but also varies significantly with other factors including adjuvant inclusion, formulation, plant species and environmental conditions. Lipophilic pesticides are readily absorbed into cuticular waxes but limited movement occurs beyond this region; however, hydrophilic pesticides are slow to be absorbed into cuticular waxes but increase as they approach pectin and cell wall layers. Once absorbed, pesticide redistribution in plants is governed by a number of factors. Systemic activity is often used to describe longer distance redistribution involving xylem and phloem transport compared to contact pesticides which are not transported significant distances from the site of absorption. Environmental conditions most favorable for plant growth generally result in maximum absorption and translocation; however, foliar absorption and translocation may be impacted more with hydrophilic pesticides compared to lipophilic pesticides which may impact efficacy and pesticide residues. Once a pesticide reaches the soil surface, it is subject to absorption by roots, adsorption by soil colloids or organic matter and other processes. The aforementioned pesticide fate topics and processes will be discussed as they relate to optimizing efficacy, reducing pesticide inputs and residues in tobacco production systems while ensuring environmental and human health are not adversely affected.