Jiang Du,Da-Xia Zhang,Li-Jian Hao,Kun Zhuang,Feng Liu,Chao-Bin Xue

Abstract

It is essential to develop a pesticide delivery system with a simple preparation process and strong leaf retention capability. In this study, epoxy resin (ER) was modified with alcohols with different carbon chain lengths through a one-step reaction to synthesize modified prepolymers (ModER). Among these, the ER modified by dodecanol (ER/Dodecanol) exhibited high flexibility, exceptional stickiness and the highest surface free energy. Subsequently, the organic phase containing emamectin benzoate (EB) and ModER was directly mixed with the aqueous phase containing sodium lignosulfonate (SL) to instantaneously obtain pesticide-loaded epoxy resin gel particles (ModERMP) through self-emulsification and electrostatic interaction. ER/Dodecanol loaded with EB (EB@ER/Dodecanol) had excellent flexibility. The particles underwent significant flattening, transitioning from micron-sized spherical particles to “biscuit-type” particles with nanoscale thickness. EB@ER/Dodecanol exhibited outstanding stickiness, enabling it to adhere to the mouthparts and legs of insects, thereby impacting their feeding behavior. Compared with that of the control, the leaf feeding rate for the experimental group was decreased by 9.36%. EB@ER/Dodecanol also had affinity for foliar micro/nanostructures while displaying excellent washout resistance. Following washing, the residue rate increased by 33.7% compared to that of the emulsifiable concentrate (EC). Furthermore, EB@ER/Dodecanol had excellent insecticidal activity both before and after washout. ModERMP represents a simple preparation process with robust washout resistance, thereby enhancing pesticide utilization rates.

Paper Linkage:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.155668