Nanopesticides in Plant Protection: Opportunities and Challenges

Each year, inadequate control of plant pests and diseases causes global crop losses of roughly 20%–40%, resulting in economic damages of about US$270 billion. Plant pests and diseases also threaten global food security, making pesticides an indispensable component of modern agriculture. Developing efficient pesticide delivery systems is a key strategy for improved crop protection. In recent years, delivery systems empowered by nanotechnology have shown great potential to reduce economic losses and promote sustainable agriculture. Over the past decade, a range of nanopesticides have been developed; these have been reported to exhibit greater insecticidal efficacy and lower toxicity compared with their non-nano counterparts. Owing to their small size, large surface area, tunable structures, and modifiable surface chemistries, nanomaterials offer clear advantages for controlled release and targeted delivery of pesticides. The effectiveness and safety of nanopesticides in the field are governed by multiple interacting factors, including particle size, physicochemical properties, formulation type, release behavior, and application performance. This Research Topic aims to gather current knowledge on nanopesticides and to examine future opportunities and challenges.This Research Topic accepts themes and manuscripts on: - Nanomaterials and enabling technologies for pesticide formulation and delivery.- Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of nucleic acids (e.g., dsRNA, siRNA) for pest control.- Nano-formulations with controlled release, targeted delivery, and stimulus-responsive behavior.- Emerging opportunities, and technical or regulatory challenges for nanopesticides.- Environmental fate, exposure pathways, and safety/risk assessment of nanopesticides in agricultural systems. Topic editors: Huan Lu, Xingye Li, Kong Chen Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79260/nanopesticides-in-plant-protection-opportunities-and-challenges