ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1354: III International Organic Fruit Symposium and I International Organic Vegetable Symposium
Essential oil-based green nano-insecticides: formulation, biological activity and application in ecofriendly pest control strategies |
| Author: | O. Campolo |
| Keywords: | botanicals, biological control, selectivity, crop protection |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2022.1354.22 |
| Abstract:
The ecotoxicological, environmental, and social consequences of the widespread use of conventional chemical insecticides in agriculture have led researchers to find viable alternatives that are more environmentally friendly than synthetic chemicals. In this context, the use of insecticides based on botanical extracts is attracting considerable interest both among researchers and consumers. Among the botanicals used as insecticides, essential oils (EOs) are a promising alternative because of their worldwide availability and relative cost-effectiveness. EOs are synthesized by plants, and they play a key role in plant defence and signaling processes, also including the attractiveness toward pollinators and beneficial insects. Plant species producing EOs (over 17,000 species) are called aromatic plants and are globally distributed. The development of stable, effective and selective EO-based formulations represents a crucial step in transferring laboratory results to real field conditions. In this context, nanotechnologies are useful to design novel nano-insecticides characterized by defined key features which can help to overcome the limitations and/or improve the bioactivity of these crop-protection tools. These nano-delivery systems increase the stability, the persistence and enhance the toxicity toward target pests while avoiding secondary effects on non-target organisms or phytotoxicity. Scientific evidence about the potential efficacy of EO nano-insecticides, along with the well-documented safety of many botanicals to humans, supports their suitability for biological control programs against several key crop pests. | |
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