New RNA-Based Bio-Insecticides Being Developed Against Maize Pests
US companies FMC and AgroSpheres are starting field trials of two new RNA-based bio-insecticides targeting maize pests. The timeline, approval and market launch are not yet known.
Agrochemical group FMC and biotechnology firm AgroSpheres, both from the United States, are beginning field trials of two new bio-insecticides based on ribonucleic acid (RNA). The products are meant to control pests in maize while affecting beneficial insects and other organisms as little as possible. The trials are planned in the US, Brazil and Asia, according to the German farming outlet agrarheute.
Target pests
The products are aimed at butterfly and moth pests such as the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and the diamondback moth. The source says the caterpillars of such pests feed on maize and increasingly cause high economic losses.
AgroSpheres contributes the RNA technology, while FMC brings experience in developing crop protection products. The two have worked together since 2024.
How the RNA agents work
The RNA agents suppress the formation of vital proteins in the targeted pests. A 2021 study in the Journal of Insect Science on the fall armyworm illustrates the principle: production of an enzyme important for chitin formation was reduced, which impaired the pests' survival in maize. Each bio-insecticide is tailored as precisely as possible to its specific pest.
Protective shell
Outside cells, RNA is fragile and can be broken down by UV radiation, heat, moisture or enzymes. AgroSpheres therefore packages the agents using its patented AgriCell technology. It relies on tiny mini-cells produced by bacteria, forming biodegradable carrier shells that protect the RNA from environmental influences. The active ingredient is released in a controlled way rather than all at once, and the release speed can be adjusted through the properties of the shell.
What comes next
Earlier tests took place in the laboratory, in greenhouses and on small plots. The field trials will show whether results hold up under real conditions in different farming systems. Only then can it be judged whether the candidates become sought-after crop protection products. The timeline, approval and market launch remain unknown.
