%0 Journal Article
%T Novel pesticides design: co-encapsulation of citral and cyproconazole for the control of Botrytis cinerea using biocompatible nano-carriers.
%A Bence R
%A Barolo SM
%A Wunderlin DA
%A Martín SE
%A Cano NCH
%J Pest Manag Sci
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 Aug 2
%M 39092877
%F 4.462
%R 10.1002/ps.8337
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Growing concerns about sustainability have driven the search for eco-friendly pest management solutions. Combining natural and synthetic compounds within controlled release systems is a promising strategy. This study investigated the co-encapsulation of the natural compound citral (Cit) and the synthetic antifungal cyproconazole (CPZ) using two water-based nanocarriers: solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs).<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Both CSNPs and SLNs loaded with Cit + CPZ displayed superior antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea compared to free compounds. Notably, CSNPs with a 2:1 Cit:CPZ ratio exhibited the highest efficacy, achieving a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC100) of < 1.56 μg mL-1, lower than the 12.5 μg mL-1 of non-encapsulated compounds. This formulation significantly reduced the required synthetic CPZ while maintaining efficacy, highlighting its potential for environmentally friendly pest control.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The successful co-encapsulation of Cit + CPZ within CSNPs, particularly at a 2:1 ratio, demonstrates a promising approach for developing effective and sustainable antifungal formulations against B. cinerea. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.