The national major scientific research plan project "Basic research on improving the effectiveness and safety of pesticides by using nanomaterials and technologies" was launched on February 24. The drawbacks of traditional chemical pesticide residues exceeding the standard and polluting the environment are expected to be improved through nanotechnology.

According to Cui Haixin, the chief scientist of the project and researcher of the Institute of Environmental Protection and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China is the world's largest country in the production and use of pesticides. At present, more than 100 kinds of agricultural diseases and insect pests occur all year round, with an annual chemical control area of 7 billion mu and an annual use of more than 2 million tons of pesticides; The annual output of pesticides exceeds 3 million tons (converted into original drugs), with an output value of more than 200 billion yuan. Pesticide has become an important material basis for ensuring safe and stable agricultural production. However, at the same time, the proportion of low residual toxicity preparations is not high, and high value-added pesticides still rely on imports. It is shown that the effectiveness and safety of traditional pesticide formulations need to be improved urgently: poor dispersion, poor deposition, low biological activity, slow degradation, target crop utilization rate less than 30%, and pest dose less than 0.1%. It leads to pesticide residues, environmental pollution, destruction of biodiversity and ecological degradation. Therefore, the development of green pesticide preparations is a major strategic demand of the country.

Cui Haixin stressed that nanotechnology is an important means to alleviate pesticide residue pollution. Due to its small size, large specific surface area and modifiability, nanomaterials have the advantages of water-based drug delivery system to improve dispersion, carrier encapsulation to enhance stability, targeted delivery to improve utilization, controlled release to extend the shelf life, catalytic degradation to reduce residue, and so on.

The project will aim to improve the water-based dispersion characteristics of insoluble pesticides and improve their bioavailability; Improve the leaf adhesion, retention and coverage of pesticides, improve the effective utilization rate and reduce the loss; Improve the mode of action of pesticides on target insects, the way and efficiency of insect invasion, and improve biological activity and toxicity; Accelerate the degradation process of pesticide residues, improve their environmental behavior and biological safety, and reduce agricultural product residues and environmental pollution. Strive to use five years to reveal the mechanism of using nanomaterials and technologies to improve the function of pesticide formulations, improve the effectiveness and safety, and break through the theoretical bottleneck in the creation of pesticide formulations; Establish the preparation method of safe and low-cost nano-drug loading system, develop the new formulation design mode of green nano-pesticide, promote the development of China's green pesticide industry, and alleviate pesticide food residues and environmental pollution.

(China Agrochemical Network)