--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260925-rna-bioinsecticide-agrospheres-fmc-field-trials/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # RNA bioinsecticide candidates from AgroSpheres and FMC enter key field trials against $14B pest threat Publication Date: 2026-09-25T19:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-09-24T22:37:19-04:00 Author: Timothy Bueno (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/timbueno/) Categories: [Markets](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/), [AgTech & Research](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/agtech-and-research/), [Crop Protection](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/crop-protection/) ![RNA bioinsecticide candidates from AgroSpheres and FMC enter key field trials against $14B pest threat](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/agrospheres-testing-map.jpeg) Two RNA bioinsecticide candidates move from greenhouse tests to trials in the U.S., Brazil and Asia against fall armyworm and diamondback moth. Two RNA bioinsecticide candidates developed by [AgroSpheres](https://www.agrospheres.com/) and [FMC Corporation](https://www.fmc.com/en) have entered global field trials in the United States, Brazil and Asia, the companies announced on September 17. The move shifts the program from discovery into testing under commercial growing conditions. The candidates target lepidopteran pests including fall armyworm and diamondback moth. Major moth and caterpillar species account for nearly $14 billion a year in global crop losses and control costs, according to the companies. The biomolecules came out of a collaboration first announced in 2024. Before advancing, the candidates went through laboratory, greenhouse and small-plot testing, where they were benchmarked against industry-standard chemistries and met or exceeded those benchmarks, AgroSpheres said. The field phase will test them across different crops, climates and pest pressures, and as partners to conventional insecticides in resistance-management programs. The technology rests on AgroSpheres' biomodality platform, which designs RNA molecules that act on specific biological pathways in a target pest, and its AgriCell delivery system, which protects the active and controls its release. Field durability has long been the hurdle for sprayable RNA, since unprotected molecules break down quickly in sunlight. Seva Rostovtsev, FMC's chief technology officer, said field trials are where promising technologies show their real-world potential. The trials add to a crowded biologicals pipeline, following [Syngenta's protozoan-based biocontrol deal with Amoéba](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260916-syngenta-amoeba-biocontrol-fungicide-cereals-europe-2026/). Neither company has given a commercial launch date. Source: [Global Agriculture](https://www.global-agriculture.com/crop-protection/agrospheres-and-fmc-advance-two-rna-based-bioinsecticide-to-global-field-trials/) Tags: [AgroSpheres](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/agrospheres/), [bioinsecticides](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/bioinsecticides/), [biologicals](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/biologicals/), [Brazil](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/brazil/), [crop protection](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/crop-protection/), [FMC](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/fmc/), [pest control](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/pest-control/), [RNA](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/rna/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. Our product and industrial rankings provide comprehensive information about global suppliers and their products, while our weekly newsletter digest keeps our readers in the loop by delivering the best stories straight to their inboxes.