Natural oils based nanoform of chlorantraniliprole for sustainable management of Helicoverpa armigera in tomato

Chlorantraniliprole is an anthranilic diamide insecticide that has both contact and systemic action and is commonly used to manage lepidopteran pests. However, its natural hydrophobicity and poor solubility limit the creation of effective and eco-friendly formulations. In the current study, high energy ultra-sonication power was used to create natural oil-based and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) based nanoemulsions, which were then compared to commercial suspension concentrate (SC) formulation of chlorantraniliprole. The natural oil-based nanoemulsion had a particle size of 98 nm and indicated higher performance than DMSO based nanoemulsion and SC formulation of insecticide. The physicochemical characterization showed the synthesis of stable spherical nanoparticles with positive zeta potential (29.71–33.51 mV) and a low polydispersity indices (PDI) (0.30–0.50). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) tests confirmed the effective integration of chlorantraniliprole into the nanoemulsion system and demonstrated alterations in its crystallinity. The natural oil-based nanoemulsion showed better leaf retention, increased spreading ability and insecticidal efficacy of the compound compared to the conventional SC formulation, resulting in higher lethal and sublethal effects. The enhanced biological activity along with improved stability indicates that natural oil-based nanoemulsion is a potential and ecologically suitable technique for enhancing foliar pesticide delivery while minimizing inputs for managing Helicoverpa armigera.