Eco-friendly chitosan-ZnO quantum dot-dinotefuran nanoparticles with bidirectional conductivity and controlled release for effective Sogatella furcifera

Sogatella furcifera ( S. furcifera ) is a serious pest of rice in China. Excessive use of conventional insecticides has led to environmental pollution and other associated issues. The rapid advancement of nanotechnology offers new perspectives for developing innovative pest management strategies. Therefore, we designed a nanopesticide system in which dinotefuran (DNF) was encapsulated within chitosan (CS) and further integrated with ZnO quantum dots (ZnO QDs). The resulting formulation (DNF@CS-P-ZnO) displayed an average particle size of 33.3 nm and a loading efficiency of 17.74 %. Under acidic conditions (pH 5), about 74.93 % of DNF was released within 96 h, showing a controlled release profile. Bioassays confirmed high insecticidal activity, with mortality reaching 93.67 % after 4 d. Mechanistic analyses indicated that the nanoformulation inhibited cytochrome P450 activity and downregulated resistance-related genes ( CYP417A2 , CYP439A3 , CYP4CE3 ), thereby enhancing susceptibility to insecticides. Additionally, the formulation exhibited effective translocation within both pests and rice plants, improved photostability, enhanced wettability, and minimal impact on non-target organisms. Overall, DNF@CS-P-ZnO represents a promising nanopesticide platform that improves pesticide efficacy while reducing environmental risks, offering potential for sustainable rice pest control.