Efficiency of Treating Cucumber Plants by Titanium Nanoparticles (TiO2) on the Infestation by Aphis gossypii under Greenhouses

Current study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of treating cucumber plants Cucumis sativus (Cucurbitaceae: Cucurbitales) by Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles (TiO2) on the infestation by the serious insect Aphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae: Hemiptera) under plastic greenhouses. The study was conducted during the 2024 season at two locations (Governorates), plastic greenhouses area, Dokki (Giza Governorate) and the agricultural research station (Alexandria Governorate). This study was carried out on two concentrations of Titanium Nanoparticles (TiO2); 2 ppm and 7 ppm concentrations were used. Efficiency of (TiO2) was evaluated through two applications: firstly, its effect on the morphological and physiological characteristics of cucumber plants and secondly, its effect on the important internal substances secreted by aphid A. gossypii. Obtained data indicated that cucumber plants treated by low concentration of TiO2 (2 ppm) were less infested by A. gossypii compared to control (untreated cucumber plants by TiO2), whereas cucumber plants treated by high concentration of (TiO2) suffered higher infestation by A. gossypii compared to control. Also, Laboratory applications indicated that low concentration of (TiO2) led to positive effectiveness on the morphological and physiological characteristics of cucumber plants and negative effectiveness on A. gossypii, whereas when treated cucumber plants by high concentration of TiO2 led to adverse effect; negatively impacting the cucumber plants on the morphological and physiological characteristics and positive effectiveness against A. gossypii.