Delivering the ideal product from the research laboratory to the marketplace requires extensive testing. New compounds showing promise as a pesticide today probably will not be available for use for at least five years. Thus, in considering what products to develop, a company anticipates potential regulations, future markets, public demands, and how the product will fit into tomorrow's integrated pest, crop, or systems management scheme. To justify research expenditures, a pesticide manufacturer looks for profitable products which can enter major markets with the potential to expand into specialized markets. Early pesticides were discovered largely by preparing and screening thousands of chemicals for potential pesticide activity.
Conventional chemistry is still an option.
Such solutions are the keys that enable the pesticide and the manufacturer to compete successfully in the marketplace. A commercially successful product allows the manufacturer to recover the costs of initial testing and registration and return a profit for reinvestment into future product development. The development of any new pesticide product begins with discovery and ends with registration. Designer chemical development blends the skills of many specialists, beginning with synthetic chemists and biologists. Toxicologists evaluate the impact on various mammalian and other nontarget organisms.