PHILADELPHIA, PA — FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) is advancing two RNA-based bioinsecticide candidates into field trials across the United States, Brazil and Asia, moving its collaboration with AgroSpheres from controlled testing toward a broader assessment of the technology against costly agricultural pests.
The candidates were developed through a collaboration between FMC and AgroSpheres that began in 2024. The field program will test their performance across different crops, climates and pest pressures as the companies evaluate their potential for commercial crop protection.
The experimental bioinsecticides target lepidopteran pests, a group that includes fall armyworm and diamondback moth. AgroSpheres estimates that a small number of major moth and caterpillar species are responsible for nearly $14 billion annually in crop losses and control costs worldwide.
The move into global trials follows laboratory, greenhouse and small-scale field-plot testing. According to the companies, the candidates were benchmarked against conventional crop-protection chemistries and met or exceeded those performance standards before advancing.
“Field trials are where promising technologies begin to demonstrate their real-world potential across different crops, climates and pest pressures,” FMC Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Seva Rostovtsev stated. “We’re encouraged by the progress to date and look forward to continuing the evaluation of these candidates.”
The technology uses RNA-based biomolecules designed to act on specific biological pathways within targeted pests rather than relying on the broader chemical action associated with conventional insecticides. The approach is intended to limit effects on beneficial insects while providing another potential tool for managing pest resistance.
AgroSpheres manufactures the biomolecules through fermentation and uses its proprietary AgriCell platform to encapsulate the active material. The delivery system is designed to protect biological products from degradation caused by ultraviolet exposure, heat and moisture while controlling the release of the active ingredient.
The companies are also evaluating whether the technology can be used alongside existing crop-protection chemistries as part of resistance-management programs, potentially extending the usefulness of both biological and established active ingredients.
“It’s where the science we’ve rigorously validated against the industry standard in the lab meets the complexity of real growing conditions, across very different climates and crop systems,” AgroSpheres co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Payam Pourtaheri stated.
The global trials represent the next development stage rather than a commercial launch, with the candidates now facing testing under a wider range of real-world agricultural conditions.
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