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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #395607
Research Project: Novel Approaches for Managing Key Pests of Peach and Pecan

Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research

Title: Individual coating of entomopathogenic nematodes with titania (TiO2) nanoparticles based on oil-in-water Pickering emulsion: A new formulation for biopesticides

Author
item KOTIAREVSKI, LILIA - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item COHEN, RAZ - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item RAMAKRISHNAN, JAYASHREE - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item WU, SHAOHUI - University Of Georgia
item ANANTH, KARTHIK - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item FELDBAUM, REUT - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item YAAKOV, NOGA - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item ZELINGER, EINAT - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item BELAUSOV, EDUARD - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item Shapiro Ilan, David
item GLAZER, ITAMAR - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item MENT, DANA - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center
item MECHREZ, GUY - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Center

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/4/2022
Publication Date: 10/26/2022
Citation: Kotiarevski, L., Cohen, R., Ramakrishnan, J., Wu, S., Ananth, K., Feldbaum, R., Yaakov, N., Zelinger, E., Belausov, E., Shapiro Ilan, D.I., Glazer, I., Ment, D., Mechrez, G. 2022. Individual coating of entomopathogenic nematodes with titania (TiO2) nanoparticles based on oil-in-water Pickering emulsion: A new formulation for biopesticides. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 70 : 13518-13527. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c04424.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c04424

Interpretive Summary: Beneficial nematodes (also called entomopathogenic nematodes) are small round worms that are used as natural bio-pesticides. These nematodes kill insect pests but do not harm humans or the environment. The ability of the nematodes to kill crop pests can be hampered by sensitivity to environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation and desiccation. Novel formulations are needed to protect the nematodes from these environmental factors. A new formulation based on titanium nanoparticles (ultrafine particles less than100 nanometers in diameter) was developed. The new formulation was found to be compatible with beneficial nematode survival, reproduction and drying. Next, the formulation will be tested for its ability to protect the nematodes from environmental extremes. A positive outcome will lead to wider and more effective use of beneficial nematodes in biological pest control.

Technical Abstract: This study presents a new eco-friendly formulation of entomopathogenic nematodes based on individual coating of entomopathogenic nematodes with TiO2 nanoparticles via oil-in-water Pickering emulsion. Mineral oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by amine-functionalized titanium dioxide (TiO2-NH2 or titania-NH2) particles were prepared. The structure of the emulsions was characterized by confocal microscopy. The most stable emulsions with a droplet size suitable for nematode formulation were further studied for their formulation capabilities. A composite individual coating of titania/mineral oil is formed during the drying process of the emulsions. The composite coating was observed by covalent labeling of the titania-NH2 nanoparticles by carboxyfluorescein and further characterization via fluorescent confocal microscopy. The Pickering emulsion based formulation was found to be biocompatible with the studied entomopathogenic nematodes, where their viability in the studied emulsion and after drying remained equivalent to the viability of the control nematodes in aqueous suspension.