Temperature-responsive hydrogel prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose-stabilized N-vinylcaprolactam with potential for fertilizer delivery.

The growth of plants is highly dependent on sufficient water and suitable fertilizer nutrients, but the soil often loses moisture and the fertilizers are low efficiency. To address this issue, the temperature-responsive hydrogels were developed using the N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) dispersed in water through the emulsification of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and acrylamide (AM), and urea was loaded into the hydrogel as a fertilizer. The amount of CMC and monomer have an effect on the structure, mechanical properties, swelling ability, and temperature sensitivity of the hydrogel.

Selenium nanoparticles are effective in penetrating pine and causing high oxidative damage to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in pine wilt disease control.

Background: Research on selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in chemical defense and chemotherapy of plants has developed rapidly owing to their high microbial toxicity, environmental safety, and degradability. Pine wilt disease (PWD) threatens pine forests worldwide; however, it is difficult to kill the nematodes (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) inside the tree that cause PWD using traditional pesticide formulations. SeNPs could be the key to controlling PWD.

Using tank-mix adjuvant improves the physicochemical properties and dosage delivery to reduce the use of pesticides in unmanned aerial vehicles for plant protection in wheat.

Background: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used to improve the efficiency of pesticide applications. Low-volume spraying operations require more efficient deposition of droplets on the target surface. Therefore, pesticide deposition and retention on plant surfaces is a serious challenge for modern precision agriculture.

Sunlight-Induced Synthesis of Non-Target Biosafety Silver Nanoparticles for the Control of Rice Bacterial Diseases.

Silver is an important and efficient bactericide. Nanoscale silver has a large specific surface area, high target adhesion, strong permeability and high bactericidal activity. At present, the control of plant bacterial diseases is difficult, and the resistance of plant bacterial pathogens develops rapidly.

Efficient Degradation of Phenoxyalkanoic Acid Herbicides by the Alkali-Tolerant Strain X32.

Phenoxyalkanoic acid (PAA) herbicides are mainly metabolized by microorganisms in soils, but the degraders that perform well under alkaline environments are rarely considered. Herein, we report strain X32, which showed encouraging PAA-degradation abilities, PAA tolerance, and alkali tolerance. In liquid media, without the addition of exogenous carbon sources, X32 could completely remove 500 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid within 3 days, faster than that with the model degrader JMP134.