Metal-organic framework nanohybrid carrier for precise pesticide delivery and pest management

Smart core-shell nanocarriers can release pesticides in response to stimuli from the microenvironment associated with pests and the physiological behaviors of protected crops. In this work, a smart nanocarrier (MIL-101(Fe) @silica) with dual functions of site-specific delivery and plant nutrition was fabricated to deliver chlorantraniliprole (CAP) for sustainable pest management. The results showed that the developed CAP@MIL-101(Fe) @silica with a size of approximately 270 nm had a stable core-shell nanostructure with a highly crystallized regular octahedron. The photostability of the drug loaded in the carrier under UV-light irradiation was 16.5 times higher than that of technical CAP. The introduction of the silica shell prevented the premature escape of CAP from the MIL-101(Fe) core in the environment and endowed the developed nanohybrid carrier with basetriggered release properties. In a laboratory bioassay, CAP@MIL-101(Fe)@silica had favorable insecticidal activity (LC50 = 0.389 mg/L) in controlling Plutella xylostella larvae. After fourteen days of spraying in the greenhouse experiment, the mortality of the CAP@MIL-101(Fe)@silica treatment (86%) against P. xylostella larvae was significantly higher than that of the CAP suspension concentration treatment (36.7%). In addition, MIL-101(Fe)@silica was safe for crops and could enhance the crop fresh weight and dry weight by 18.6-19.6% and 4.8-17.7%, respectively. Therefore, MIL-101(Fe)@silica could be used as a biocompatible carrier for sitespecific pesticide delivery and simultaneously as a fertilizer for crop growth, which would be a novel route for the development of a precise pesticide delivery nanoplatform.

Automated summary

The study fabricated a smart nanocarrier with dual functions of specific delivery and plant nutrition, demonstrating stability, effective insecticidal activity, safety for crops, and growth enhancement. This biocompatible carrier could serve as a novel route for precise pesticide delivery and fertilizer for crop growth.