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Formulation of Moringa oleifera nanobiopesticides and their evaluation against Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica

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Abstract

The excessive use of synthetic pesticides for pest management is harmful to human health and environment. Plants extract are promising active ingredients to produce safe and ecofriendly biopesticides as an alternative, while their physicochemical properties are a thoughtful issue to generate commercial formulates. Thus, nanotechnology plays an important role to solve this problem. In this study, nanobiopesticides of Moringa oleifera leaves (Moringaceae) were formulated using a polyvinylpyrrolidone stabilizer. The minimum particle size of M. oleifera nanosuspension was 174 nm with polydispersity index and zeta potential values of 0.354 and −13.2 mV, respectively. The morphology of M. oleifera nanobiopesticide was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy which showed spherical to the oval shape particles. The comparative pesticidal efficacy of M. oleifera extract and its nanosuspensions against stored product insects was conducted. The M. oleifera M3 nanosuspension showed significantly (P < 0.05) high insecticidal activity with a mortality rate of 83.00 ± 0.56 and 92.48 ± 3.12% after 72 h against Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), respectively. Conversely, M. oleifera extract exhibited significantly low insecticidal efficacy with a mortality rate of 79.30 ± 2.64 and 81.15 ± 2.97% against Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica, respectively. The prepared nanoformulations showed high pesticidal potential may be suggested as ecofriendly, sustainable, and effective biopesticides against stored product insects.

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The Moringa oleifera nanobiopesticides showed effective and enhanced pesticidal potential against stored grain insects.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by Endowment Fund Secretariat University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, Grant No. RD-028-18.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab, 38000, Pakistan

    Humaira Iqbal, Nazish Jahan & Shaukat Ali

  2. Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Aamir Shahzad

  3. Department of Geography, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Rashda Iqbal

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  1. Humaira Iqbal
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  2. Nazish Jahan
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Iqbal, H., Jahan, N., Ali, S. et al. Formulation of Moringa oleifera nanobiopesticides and their evaluation against Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica. J Plant Dis Prot 131, 133–142 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00802-z

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