Advances in botanical-based nanoformulations for sustainable cotton insect pest management in developing countries
Abstract
Cotton is an important crop that significantly contributes to the economies of
developing countries, providing income for farmers and driving economic
growth in rural areas. However, cotton production in developing countries
faces significant challenges due to insect pest infestations. The main impacts
include yield losses and increased reliance on synthetic pesticides. Recent
advances in pest management are constrained by the use of chemical
pesticides that are harmful to the environment and less efficacy and stability of
bio-based formulations, especially plant-based. Challenges are more significant
in the developing countries where low technology, and reliance on synthetic
adulterated products are experienced. To evaluate advances in sustainable pest
management, 760 articles were collated and screened. A total of 39 qualified
peer-reviewed articles were used to evaluate current research advancements in
botanical nanoformulations for sustainable cotton insect pest management in
developing countries and examined their efficacy on key cotton insect pests,
formulation techniques, mode of action and environmental impact while
identifying challenges such as nanoparticle stability and scalability. Results
showed that botanical nanoformulations such as silver and zinc nanoparticles,
nano-emulsions, and polymeric carriers enhance efficacy, stability, and
environmental sustainability. About 85% of the studies were laboratory-based
experiments, with only 15% being semi-field and/or field trials. Findings indicate
that botanical nanoformulations are viable alternative for manging cotton insect
pest management. However more researches are needed to optimize their
stability and efficacy in real-world cotton insect pest management in
developing countries context.
URI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2025.1558395https://dspace.nm-aist.ac.tz/handle/20.500.12479/3069