Ecological costs of botanical nano-insecticides

Abstract

Botanical nano-insecticides are a trend in pest control. The natural origin of the active substances, alongside with the methodological approach granted by nanotechnologies are a promising combination of innovation and eco-sustainability, hot topics in the context of ecological transition in agriculture . Nevertheless, their field application is still limited, due to production challenges and risk assessment concerns. Nanoformulations have some advantages over traditional bioinsecticides , including increased bioactivity and persistence, and slow-release rates. Recent research reported promising insecticidal activity of nano-emulsions, micro-emulsions, and nanoparticles loaded with different botanical extracts, oils, and essential oils. Though, despite their proven efficacy against insect pests and vectors, a limited number of studies investigated their safety towards nontarget organisms and fate in the environment. This mini-review provides an overview of the side-effects of botanical nano-insecticides and the main challenges to improve their sustainability in term of ecological and production cost.