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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Double-stranded RNA Oral Delivery Methods to Induce RNA Interference in Phloem and Plant-sap-feeding Hemipteran Insects

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Published on: May 4, 2018

Magnetic Hydrogel Microrobots as Insecticide Carriers for In Vivo Insect Pest Control in Plants.

Roberto Maria-Hormigos^1,2, Carmen C Mayorga-Martinez¹, Martin Pumera^1,3,4,5,2

¹Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, Prague 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.

Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)

|December 30, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

New hydrogel microrobots efficiently deliver pesticides to target pests like mealworm larvae. This innovative approach enhances pesticide specificity and reduces harm to non-target organisms in agriculture.

Keywords:

chemicals delivery hydrogel magnetic-driven nano/microrobots pesticides

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Published on: July 4, 2017

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Biotechnology
Agricultural Science

Background:

Insect pests cause significant global economic losses, necessitating effective pest control strategies.
Conventional pesticides pose risks to non-target organisms, driving the need for targeted delivery systems.
Hydrogel-based microrobots offer a promising platform for encapsulating and delivering active agents.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and evaluate hydrogel chitosan magnetic microrobots for targeted pesticide delivery.
To investigate the efficacy of these microrobots in controlling mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor).

Main Methods:

Synthesis of hydrogel chitosan magnetic microrobots encapsulating ethyl parathion (EP)-CHI@Fe3O4.
Utilizing pH-responsive chitosan degradation for targeted pesticide release in the mealworm midgut.
Employing a transversal rotating magnetic field to guide and enhance microrobot activity.
Assessing mortality rates of mealworm larvae after exposure to microrobots versus free pesticide.

Main Results:

Microrobots successfully delivered ethyl parathion into the mealworm intestinal tract within 2 hours due to pH-triggered degradation.
A 30-minute exposure to microrobots under a magnetic field resulted in significantly higher mealworm mortality compared to free pesticide.
The developed microrobots demonstrated efficient killing of mealworm larvae.

Conclusions:

Hydrogel chitosan magnetic microrobots serve as effective active carriers for targeted pesticide delivery.
This technology offers a novel approach to enhance pesticide specificity and efficacy in the agrochemical sector.
Soft microrobots represent a new frontier for applications in precision agriculture and pest management.