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17/3/2026
The remarkable find on a Caribbean island that continues to support Australian growers
When a curious scientist decided to take a soil sample from an abandoned rum distillery during a hike in the Caribbean just over 40 years ago, it set in motion a series of scientific discoveries that would eventually benefit crop protection around the world, including helping Australian growers against the new challenge of Fall armyworm.
That sample ultimately led to the development of Jemvelva active, one of Corteva Agriscience’s most significant crop protection innovations. Its journey from natural fermentation to a widely used insect management tool reflects the long-term research effort behind modern agricultural chemistry.
In the late 1980s, fermented extracts of the original soil sample were found to control mosquito larvae and caterpillars; scientists identified a naturally occurring bacterium that was responsible.
This work led to the identification of a new class of insecticides not seen before, the spinosyn compounds. A selective insecticide, known today as Qalcova™. Qalcova was developed from the most active naturally occurring compounds that selectively controls a number of damaging insect pests whilst helping to maintain a healthy population of beneficial insects.
“Qalcova has a novel chemical structure and a unique mode of action that revolutionise the control of agricultural pests, as well as becoming a remarkable tool for veterinary and public health,” Corteva Agriscience Marking Manager, Nicholas Koch, said.
The US Environmental Protection Agency classified it as a reduced risk registration and Qalcova won widespread recognition, including the EPA’s Green Chemistry Challenge award for products or processes that provide solutions to significant environmental challenges.
But that wasn’t the end of the story, because the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled researchers to unlock the potential of the spinosyns.” Scientists had doggedly pursued the spinosyn compounds to find further improvements, but with 65,000 potential combinations, it was an elusive goal.
Harnessing AI to reveal the secret to Jemvelva
That was until 1993, when one of the team visited a friend who had invented a smart vacuum cleaner with AI software that enabled it to recognise routes, learn patterns and constantly reprogram itself.
It was a lightbulb moment for the scientist, who then used an AI-based software to analyse the spinosyn molecules and in a short time had identified a small chemical modification that significantly increased insecticidal activity.
Further modifications made the spinosyn more stable in sunlight which eventually led to one of the most important breakthroughs in modern agriculture, Jemvelva™ active.
Jemvelva demonstrated improved pest control at significantly lower use rates compared to Qalcova, enabling growers of fruit and vegetables to adopt Integrated Pest Management techniques and improve the quality of production systems.
Jemvelva earned the US EPA’s reduced risk registration in 2007 and won both the Green Chemistry Challenge and the Agrow award for Best New Crop Protection Product. It was subsequently recognised by the China Crop Protection Industry Association for its contribution to crop health.
Supporting Australian crops under pressure
“Jemvelva™ active is the powerhouse behid products such as Success Neo ® and Delegate ® insecticides. Jemvelva works faster, lasts longer and is greater than2X more effective gram for gram compared to products containing the active ingredient ‘spinosad’. Jemvelva is superior at protecting crops from chewing a insects, such as Fall armyworm i and Diamondback moth ,” Mr Koch said.
The voracious Fall armyworm was first detected in Australia in 2020 and is now considered an established, invasive pest that cannot be eradicated, posing a threat to many crops like corn, sorghum, and vegetables. Jemvelva is now widely acknowledged as the standard for Fall Armyworm control across the globe.
“Jemvelva has raised the bar for efficacy and environmental responsibility, and revolutionised crop protection around the world,” Nicholas said.
Maintaining choice and reliability
As alternative versions of older chemistries enter the market, many growers are seeking reassurance about the products they rely on. Trusted products containing Jemvelva™ active including Success® Neo and Delegate® insecticide remain backed by a long history of development, testing and stewardship that continue to be important to those looking for dependable performance from season to season.
Nicholas Koch, Marketing Manager at Corteva Agriscience, says the evolution of the spinosyns demonstrates the value of long-term investment in agricultural innovation.
“While the science has advanced significantly since that original soil sample was taken, the goal hasn’t changed, which is to provide growers with tools that are effective, reliable and aligned with modern farming systems.”
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