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Enzyme-Responsive Phosphate-Crosslinked Microgels with Enhanced Foliar Adhesion and Insecticide Stability: An
Ankita Dhiman1, Piyush Thaper1, Kailash Chandra Naga2
1School of Chemical Sciences and Advanced Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh 175075, India.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|June 23, 2025
Summary
New biodegradable cellulose microgels deliver imidacloprid insecticide sustainably. These stimuli-responsive carriers improve plant growth and offer a promising eco-friendly solution for agriculture, reducing environmental pollution.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Agrochemicals face environmental pollution challenges.
- Stimuli-responsive, biodegradable polymeric carriers offer a solution for controlled agrochemical delivery.
- Cellulose-based microgels are explored for sustainable agricultural applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (DC)-functionalized cellulose-based microgels (DC-CelP MGs) for sustained imidacloprid (Im) insecticide release.
- To evaluate the microgels' properties, including loading, release kinetics, photostability, foliar adhesion, and insecticidal activity.
- To assess the impact of the microgel formulation on plant growth and soil phosphorus availability.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of DC-functionalized cellulose microgels crosslinked with phosphate.
- Encapsulation of imidacloprid insecticide into the microgels (Im@DC-CelP MGs).
- Assessment of Im loading and encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release studies using cellulase enzyme, photostability tests, foliar adhesion tests on Chinese cabbage, insecticidal activity assays against *Myzus persicae*, and plant growth/phytotoxicity evaluations.
Main Results:
- Im@DC-CelP MGs demonstrated good loading (8.6%) and encapsulation (65%) efficiencies for Im.
- Sustained Im release was observed, influenced by cellulase enzyme concentration, with improved photostability and foliar adhesion.
- The formulation retained insecticidal activity after UV exposure and promoted Chinese cabbage growth without phytotoxicity, indicating potential phosphorus release.
Conclusions:
- Developed DC-CelP MGs serve as effective, biodegradable carriers for sustained imidacloprid release.
- The microgels enhance insecticide photostability, foliar adhesion, and efficacy, while promoting plant growth and offering a source of phosphorus.
- These findings highlight the potential of DC-CelP MGs for sustainable agriculture practices.
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