Zein-Based Nanocarrier of the Insecticide Cyantraniliprole for the Control of Bemisia tabaciMEAM1 (Whitefly)

Abstract

Bemisia tabaci, also known as whitefly, is a sap-sucking polyphagous insect that severely affects important crops worldwide. The growing demand for environmentally friendly and effective pest control measures necessitates new approaches to reduce the volume and frequency of insecticide application to crops while maintaining the efficiency. This study aimed at developing and evaluating a biodegradable zein protein nanocarrier with the active ingredient (a.i.) cyantraniliprole (CNAP) for the control of B. tabaci in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Synthesis of the nanoformulation (ZeinCNAP) resulted in spherical structures with an average hydrodynamic size of 143.06 ± 1.03 nm and a surface charge of 40.36 ± 0.7 mV remaining stable over 56 days. When plants were treated with three doses of ZeinCNAP (1/10, 1/2, and full) and commercial CNAP, followed by the release of adult whiteflies, the insect mortality by ZeinCNAP full dose (30 ± 0.9%) did not differ significantly from the commercial CNAP (42 ± 0.8%) 48 h after spraying. However, 72 h after spraying, the ZeinCNAP dose of 1/10, insect mortality (32 ± 1.1%) remained statistically equivalent to the commercial CNAP at full dose (49 ± 0.6%). When the plants were treated with commercial CNAP, ZeinCNAP, or water, aspects of fresh mass, photosynthetic parameters, and oxidative stress were analyzed at 24, 168, or 360 h after application, and no significant negative effects were noted in the analyzed parameters. The developed nanoinsecticide based on the zein platform and the active ingredient CNAP has significant potential for controlling on B. tabaci MEAM1 at reduced doses and can be considered safe for tomato plants. This work adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the potential of nanoscale carriers to significantly reduce the environmental burden associated with agrochemical use while still maintaining equivalent efficacy to conventional strategies.