Nano-based smart pesticide formulations: Emerging opportunities for agriculture

• Published in: Journal of controlled release Vol. 294; pp. 131 - 153
• Main Authors: Kumar, Sandeep, Nehra, Monika, Dilbaghi, Neeraj, Marrazza, Giovanna, Hassan, Ashraf Aly, Kim, Ki-Hyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 28-01-2019
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agriculture - methods; Animals; Humans; Nanoformulations; Nanostructures - administration & dosage; Nanostructures - chemistry; Pesticide management; Pesticides; Pesticides - chemistry; Pesticides - toxicity; Agriculture; Nanoformulations; Pesticide management; Pesticides
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.12.012

The incorporation of nanotechnology as a means for nanopesticides is in the early stage of development. The main idea behind this incorporation is to lower the indiscriminate use of conventional pesticides to be in line with safe environmental applications. Nanoencapsulated pesticides can provide controlled release kinetics, while efficiently enhancing permeability, stability, and solubility. Nanoencapsulation can enhance the pest-control efficiency over extended durations by preventing the premature degradation of active ingredients (AIs) under harsh environmental conditions. This review is thus organized to critically assess the significant role of nanotechnology for encapsulation of AIs for pesticides. The smart delivery of pesticides is essential to reduce the dosage of AIs with enhanced efficacy and to overcome pesticide loss (e.g., due to leaching and evaporation). The future trends of pesticide nanoformulations including nanomaterials as AIs and nanoemulsions of biopesticides are also explored. This review should thus offer a valuable guide for establishing regulatory frameworks related to field applications of these nano-based pesticides in the near future.
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•Pesticidal nanoformulations offer higher efficacy compared to conventional pesticides.•Nanocarriers for pesticide include polymers, lipid, clay nanomaterials, metal organic frameworks, and greener formulations.•Nanoparticles as active ingredients represent a new trend in pesticide nanoformulations.•Biopesticides emerged as cost-effective and environment friendly alternatives.•Toxicological profile of the nanoformulations for non-target organisms need to be explored further.