Control the Entire Journey of Pesticide Application on Superhydrophobic Plant Surface by Dynamic Covalent Trimeric Surfactant Coacervation

Abstract

Vast wastage of pesticides has caused significant environmental pollution and economic loss, which occurs in any step during the entire process of pesticide application. However, the existing strategies for controlling pesticide losses are step specific. Here, a comprehensive strategy to substantively improve pesticide efficiency on the basis of precise designs from beginning to end is developed. A water‐based coacervate with synthesized imine‐based dynamic covalent trimeric surfactants to synergistically control encapsulation, deposition, retention, and release of pesticides on water‐repellent plants is constructed. The coacervate consists of nanosized networks and abundant tightly bonded water, leading to effective encapsulation of hydrophilic/hydrophobic pesticides. Meanwhile, the network‐like microstructure entangles with the micro/nanostructures of superhydrophobic surface, ensuring complete deposition on superhydrophobic plant surface after high‐speed impact and inhibition of wind/rainwater erosion. Moreover, the CO2‐induced degradative surfactant coacervate determines the precise pesticide release. The dynamic coacervate as an innovative pesticide formula provides a prospective way for pesticide application, and is expected to promote productive and sustainable agriculture.

Improving the efficacy against crop foliage disease by regulating fungicide adhesion on leaves with soft microcapsules

“…Abamectin‐loaded silica particles modified with PDA can improve the adhesion of abamectin on the leaf surface 16 . Synthesized imine‐based dynamic covalent surfactants can participate in the formation of MCs that have superior affinity for epicuticular wax and microstructures/nanostructures of highly hydrophobic leaf surfaces 17 . The rapid development of nanotechnology has witnessed great breakthroughs in controlled‐release, targeted release and interaction with target surfaces 18…”

Recent development in functional nanomaterials for sustainable and smart agricultural chemical technologies

“…The imine groups of the surfactant could be hydrolyzed in acidic environment created by CO 2 to release pesticides [1] APTES and TEOS /Kasugamycin Kasugamycin was conjugated with APTES and then forming pesticide-contained silica NPs via sol-gel method Amidase in pathogenic microorganisms could disintegrate the nanopesticide to release kasugamycin [57] pH-Jump Reagent 2,4-Dinitrobenzaldehyde and Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (MOF)/Prochloraz In situ addition of prochloraz and pH-jump reagent in the synthesis process of the MOF structure UV light makes pH-jump reagent to acidify the environment, interrupting the MOF structure to release prochloraz [65] formed the surface valve layer.…”

“…When exposed to acidic conditions, the protonation of amino groups in chitosan would cause a gradual solubilization of the chitosan matrix, resulting release of spinosad with regulated rates for 6 days. Liu et al [1] synthesized an oligomeric imine-based surfactant, which could be assembled into worm-like micelles and could entrap both hydrophilic and hydrophobic pesticides; once applied, the materials would absorb CO 2 from air and create an acidic environment, hydrolyzing the imine groups and initiating the release of active loadings. Covalent grafting was also employed for the fabrication of integral stimulated release nanopesticides.…”

“…The rapidly growing demands in sustainable economy set forth grand challenges to current agricultural industry that have traditionally relied heavily on agrochemicals, including synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Up to now, the global use of pesticides and fertilizers have reached over 4.1 and 125 million tons, respectively [1,2]; however, the traditional way of administering agrochemicals is generally inefficient. For pesticides, which are generally synthetic organic compounds with high hydrophobicity and often poor chemical stability, it is estimated that only less than 1% of the applied dosage served the purpose, while the majority get lost to environment via volatilization, degradation, and photolysis in traditional application scenarios [3,4].…”

Effects of Phosphorus Ensembled Nanomaterials on Nutrient Uptake and Distribution in Glycine max L. under Simulated Precipitation

“…Selected engineered nanomaterials have been applied as soil amendments, seed coatings, and foliar sprays [35,36]. To meet the goal of controlled release and delivery of active ingredients with reasonable environmental cost and energy input, nanomaterials need to be carefully designed and applied by sustainable methods [23,35,37]. For nanomaterials applied as fertilizers, there has been work on both nanoscale macro- [38][39][40][41] and micronutrients [42][43][44][45].…”