2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Nanotechnology is an emerging branch of science with an enormous potential to manage plant pests and pathogens. Our current work on soybean looper [Chrysodeixis includens (Walker)], beet armyworm [Spodoptera exigua (Hübner)], Japanese beetle [Popillia japonica (Newman)], cucumber beetle [Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi (Barber)], and Fusarium Head Blight (Fusarium graminearum) using nanoparticles [nano-clay (NC); 200-700nm, nano-zinc-oxide (NZO); 20-50 nm, and nano-sulfur (NS); 20-60 nm] showed promising results. Three independent experiments (2017) were conducted in a randomized complete block design with ten blocks, and one plant of each treatment per block in the field conditions. Ten plants were used for each treatment. The means per plant was determined and subjected to analysis of variance (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) and separated using a protected least significant difference (LSD) at P < 0.05. Similar design was used for in vitro studies. The standard error of the mean was also calculated. In vitro results showed 80 to 100% mortality of first, second, and third instar stages of soybean looper within 5 to 24 hr using NC, NZO, and NS. Similarly, 80 to 100% mortality of first, second, and third instar stages of beet armyworm were observed within 5 to 24 hr using NC, NZO, and NS. In vivo application of NZO (5, 10, 15 mM), NS (5, 10, 15 mM), and NC (0.5%) showed less damage on soybean leaves using first instar stage of soybean looper. However, no effect of these particles were observed on second and third instar stages of soybean looper. In field conditions, five spray applications of NZO (5, 10, 15, 20 mM), NS (5, 10, 20 mM), NC (0.5% and 1.0%) at V1 (first trifoliate leaf) to V5 (five trifoliate leaf) stage of soybean development showed decline in leaf damage and blemishes in comparison to control untreated plants. Behavioral studies were conducted in cages by enclosing the adults of Japanese and Cucumber beetle on NZO (15 and 20 mM) treated and control leaves. Adults never attacked on NZO treated leaves and preferentially consumed untreated control leaves. However, adults also consumed NZO treated leaves in the absence of control leaves in cages. These studies were conducted using a narrow range of nanoparticle. There is a possibility of more success in vivo conditions by using wide range of nanoparticles.