Enhancing Systemic Translocation of Insecticides via Nanoformulations Incorporating β-Cyclodextrin Octadecarboxylate as a Carrier

The conversion of contact-killing pesticides into systemic pesticides can significantly enhance the bioavailability of pesticides, thereby reducing pesticide usage and environmental harm. A series of β-cyclodextrin fatty acid esters with varying branch chains were synthesized and employed as carriers in nanoformulation of insecticide. The investigation revealed that nanoformulations prepared using β-cyclodextrin octadecarboxylate (β-CDs) exhibited superior stability and remarkable systemic translocation within plants. Six contact-killing insecticide nanoformulations were developed utilizing β-CDs as carriers, and tests indicated that β-CDs significantly enhanced the systemic translocation of insecticides in plants compared to carrier-free nanoformulations. It was found that β-CDs increased the level of systemic translocation of insecticides by 5–12 times. Additionally, characterization results from λ-cyhalothrin-β-CDs nanoformulation demonstrated their superior ability to improve photolysis resistance, prolong release time, and extend insecticidal duration. Consequently, β-CDs can be utilized as a green additive in pesticide production to enhance the systemic translocation of pesticides in plants and increase their bioavailability.