Enhancing pesticide selectivity is one of the important strategies to improve pesticide utilization and protect non-target organisms. Herein, a pH-controlled release carrier was prepared to enhance insecticidal activity and reduce toxicity to bees by polysaccharide materials O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMCS) and crosslinker‑sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). Chlorfenapyr (CF) was encapsulated through crosslinking and self-assembled to form a stable nanopesticide (CF@O-CMCS) with a loading ratio of 5.27 %. CF@O-CMCS had excellent pH release dependency. In 36 h, only 26.39 % of the CF in the CF@O-CMCS was released at pH 5.0, whereas 95.28 % was released at pH 10.0. Treated for 48 h with 2.5 mg.ai/L, CF@O-CMCS was 73.33 % more effective at controlling Spodoptera frugiperda larvae than CF SC (Suspension), which was only 40.00 % effective. The lethal concentration 50 % (LC50) of 11.41 mg/L in CF@O-CMCS was four times lower than that of 2.71 mg/L in CF SC at 96 h, making it safer for worker bees. Additionally, CF@O-CMCS treated the gut of worker bees had considerably lower contents of chlorfenapyr and tralopyril (1.13 and 0.59 mg/kg) than CF SC (3.22 and 1.91 mg/kg) group. In consideration of its eco-friendly, enhanced bioactivity, and low toxicity to worker bees, CF@O-CMCS will have a broad application prospect in sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: O-carboxymethyl chitosan; Pesticide selectivity; pH-controlled release.
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