Source  Chemical Engineering Journal

Published  JUL 1 2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.163652

IF  13.2

Abstract

Due to the concealed behaviors of subterranean pests, the application of insecticides faces numerous challenges. This study presents a novel attract-and-kill strategy that exploits subterranean pests' reliance on CO2 as a cue for food location. A calcium alginate gel bead system (CO2 + CLO@CAG) was developed, combining Saccharomyces cerevisiae and clothianidin (CLO) for synchronized release of both CO2 and CLO. The beads continuously release CO2 for at least 35 days, establishing a CO2 gradient similar to that formed by plant roots. Additionally, starch was incorporated into the gel matrix to improve its sustained-release properties and stabilize CLO release under varying pH levels. Attraction tests confirmed that CO2 + CLO@CAG beads effectively attracted grubs within a 20 cm radius. In indoor attract-and-kill experiments, the beads exhibited a substantially greater attraction to grubs compared to peanut seedlings, and all grubs attracted to the beads died from poisoning within 3 days. Moreover, the beads effectively mitigated the phytotoxicity of CLO on peanut seedlings, alleviating its negative impact on stem growth and significantly promoting root development. Field trials demonstrated a pest control effectiveness of 86.05 %, which was significantly higher than the 62.79 % effectiveness of commercial CLO granules. Biocompatibility testing with 8 other commercial pesticides showed compatibility with 6 of them, further validating the universal encapsulation capacity of the polysaccharide carrier and its ability to co-encapsulate various pesticides. This study underscores the potential of CO2 + CLO@CAG as an efficient and sustainable solution for targeted subterranean pest managemen