Pathogenic Invasion-Responsive Carrier Based on Mesoporous Silica/β-Glucan Nanoparticles for Smart Delivery of Fungicides

Site-specific pesticide delivery is one of the potential strategies to enhance the use of fungicides and decrease undesirable environmental damages. Herein, a β-glucanase enzyme-responsive nanovehicle used for controlling chlorothalonil (CHT) release in the plant vascular system was synthesized (CHT@MSNs-β-glucans) by attaching β-glucans extracted from the yeast cell wall on MSNs pore rims for the management of rice blast (Magnaporthe grisea). CHT@MSNs-β-glucans characteristics were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transfer infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), N2 isotherm, and Zetasizer. The obtained results showed that CHT@MSNs-β-glucans have excellent enzymatic release dependency, an outstanding loading efficacy of 24.99%, remarkable protection from acidic and alkaline conditions, and UV shielding ability up to 3 times greater than that of CHT commercial product (CHT-WP). CHT@MSNs-β-glucans showed excellent bioactivity against rice blast compared with CHT-WP. Moreover, CHT@MSNs-β-glucans showed better distribution in different tissues of rice plants. Additionally, CHT@MSNs-β-glucans showed 2.6 times lower toxicity to Daphnia magna and exhibited lower changes in soil microbial abundance than CHT-WP. This study provides significant sustainable management of plant pathogens for better farming.