Inspired by pathogen infection for reverse biomimetic strategy with pectinase/pH dual-stimuli-responsive in crop protection.

BACKGROUND

Conventional pesticide delivery systems often suffer from low deposition and insufficient targeted release in complex pathogenic microenvironments. Inspired by the pathogen infection process, this study aimed to develop a novel controlled-release platform capable of responding to specific infection microenvironments to achieve efficient and targeted pesticide delivery.

RESULTS

A dual-responsive nano-delivery platform (BZP) was successfully constructed by loading the fungicide boscalid (Bos) onto a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocarrier and utilizing pectin as a pathogen-recognizable gatekeeper. The acidic pH- and pectinase-responsive properties enabled on-demand pesticide release specifically in the infection induced by Botrytis cinerea. BZP demonstrated an 87.35% cumulative release rate of Bos under acidic conditions (pH 5.5) with pectinase, exceeding that of nanocarriers without the pectin coating (65.64%) after 168 h of treatment. The nanoparticles (73 ± 11 nm) enabled bidirectional vascular transport and fungal cell wall penetration for targeted antimicrobial action. Meanwhile, it exhibited potent antifungal activity that matched the efficacy of the boscalid wettable powder (BWP). Additionally, the pectin coating greatly improved the foliar retention of BZP. Notably, BZP showed no apparent phytotoxicity to test plants and exhibited excellent biosafety in earthworms.

CONCLUSION

This study provides theoretical insights for enhancing the targeted release and efficient foliar deposition of nanopesticides, aiming to improve pesticide utilization efficiency and ensure environmental safety, thereby offering promising applications in sustainable agriculture. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.