After WW 1, Geigy conducted research to find moth poisons to protect wool. Then they expanded their research to find chemicals to use as seed disinfectants which lead to defining the research objective of synthesizing an insecticide.
Source:
Insects, Experts, and the Insecticide Crisis: The Quest for New Pest Management Strategies, John H. Perkins at https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9781468440003
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