A unimolecule nanopesticide delivery system applied in field scale for enhanced pest control

Abstract

Nanopesticides provide immense potential in reducing pesticide use and promoting sustainable agriculture for their enhanced pesticidal efficacy. Nano-enabled delivery systems can enhance pesticide penetration into both insects and leaves through their unique nanoproperties, in particular their small size. However, it remains a great challenge to achieve unimolecular formulations in water-based processes in order to take full advantages of nanoproperties. Here, using ionic liquid, we fabricate unimolecular nanopesticides (about 3 nm in average diameter) in a water-based process, termed unimolecule-nanopesticide delivery system. Guided by the density functional theory calculations, we successfully convert various traditional pesticides into the unimolecule-nanopesticide system, significantly enhancing cellular uptake, insect-dermis translocation, and leaf-cuticle penetration of pesticides. Furthermore, we improved field efficacy against multiple pests using the unimolecule-nanopesticide system. Importantly, the unimolecule-nanopesticide system utilizes only industry-grade raw materials that are Generally Recognized as Safe by the US Food and Drug Administration. We believe our unimolecule-nanopesticide system represents a water-based and facile-manufactured platform for other conventional pesticides to achieve high-efficiency field-scale plant protection.