Receiving a donated ex-charter boat was a huge help for the youth organization Stockton Sea Scouts, said program director John Manov.

But hauling it out for maintenance to make it safe for kids, he explained, became far more expensive than originally thought because of a new invasive species of mussel.

“This is frequently mentioned as the biggest unmet need in the market at present,” Marrone says. “So, the market is wide open for bioherbicides. At the Invasive Species Corp., our approach focuses on microbes that produce complex, novel mixtures of natural product compounds that we optimize in fermentation.”

Golden mussels can reproduce quickly -- aided by the fact that they have no natural predators and are less sensitive to variability in water chemistry and temperatures, said Pam Marrone, executive chair and co-founder of the Invasive Species Corporation, a company that seeks environmentally responsible solutions to ecological threats.

The goal is to develop products featuring cocktails of metabolites, typically with one to three dominant active compounds that may be supported by weaker or synergistic ones that are not characterized or well understood.

ISC named among the Top 100 climate tech startups

One year after the discovery that golden mussels had invaded the Delta, thick colonies coat boats and piers and threaten water supplies for cities and farms. Yet the state has no specific funding or plans to tackle harms in the heart of the invasion.

While biopesticides have been around for 70 years, starting with Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides, they are experiencing rapid growth as the products have gotten better and more science-based and there are more restrictions on synthetic chemical pesticides.

New study outlines how biologicals are reshaping pest management; why Brazil is leading the charge, and what other markets can learn

New technologies help scientists detect and contain invasive species before they cause irreversible ecosystem damage

Water is a driving force in the American West, and today it’s at risk more than ever. Not just from overuse, not just from megadrought, but from minuscule invaders that pose a nearly unstoppable threat to the region’s rivers, lakes, dams and reservoirs.

Agri-Pulse Podcast: Dr. Pam Marrone discusses 37,000 invasive species costing $1 trillion globally and expanding northward with climate change.

Big Red Podcast features Cornell alumni like Pam Marrone ’78, discussing her biotech startup combating invasive species and insights on bio-pesticides.

Having seen outbreaks of both zebra and quagga mussels in recent years. A Davis based company has been working on a solution and now has its sights set on getting rid of the golden mussel for good.

In the July 30, 2025 Forbes “50 Over 50: Innovation” profile, Pamela “Pam” Marrone is honored as one of 50 women over age 50 driving breakthroughs in STEM fields

The Packer explores the future of crop biologicals and their potential for significant growth, with Pam Marrone, co-founder of Invasive Species Corp.

Invasive Species Corp. adapts Zequanox to fight golden mussels in CA waterways, offering eco-safe control for invasive threats.

Dr. Pam Marrone drives sustainable farming with biologicals, boosting yields while reducing environmental impact.