Certis USA 在巴西推出了生物农药 Gemstar，这是一种用于控制玉米耳虫的杀虫病毒（棉铃虫), a major pest of Brazil’s cotton and soybean crops. To introduce Gemstar to Brazil, Certis worked closely with its Brazilian development and distribution partners Bio Controle of Indaituba and Iharabras S/A Chemical Industries of Sorocaba.
In April, the Brazilian state of Bahia declared a state of emergency, and the Brazilian government granted emergency approval for the use of Gemstar to control corn earworm on cotton and soybean crops. The pest was responsible for billions of dollars in losses last year to the country’s cotton and soybean crops. First identified in northeastern Brazil two years ago, corn earworm is now damaging cotton, soybeans, corn and bean crops in 10 states.
Gemstar 的活性成分是一种天然存在的核多角体病毒，可感染玉米耳虫幼虫。这种病毒具有很强的宿主特异性。它不会感染有益昆虫、鱼类、野生动物、牲畜或人类，并且其使用不会损害环境。以喷洒了 Gemstar 的作物为食的玉米蛔虫幼虫通过摄入沉积在植物上的病毒颗粒而被感染。受感染的幼虫停止进食，因为病毒在其体内迅速复制，破坏其内部器官。当它死亡时，它的身体会解体，释放出数十亿个新的病毒颗粒，这些病毒颗粒可能会被在同一地区觅食的同代或后代的其他幼虫摄入。
Certis 说，Gemstar 已被全球多个国家的种植者成功用于控制玉米、高粱和蔬菜作物以及棉花中的玉米耳虫。
“The corn earworm populations in Brazil are unprecedented in Brazilian agriculture,” said Dr. Mike Dimock, research director of Certis USA. “The situation, however, is another excellent example about how biopesticides have become key tools in the management of today’s pest outbreaks. A biopesticide like Gemstar employs a novel mode of action that is highly effective in controlling corn earworm. Yet Gemstar can be used in organic farming, resistance management programs and, because it is residue exempt, Brazilian growers can export their Gemstar-treated crop virtually anywhere in the world.”