Development of pH-Responsive Polymeric Pesticides as Supramolecular Inclusion Complexes for Targeted Control of B. cinerea in Precision Agriculture

Abstract

Over the past five decades, heavy reliance on pesticides in global food production has raised concerns regarding the efficiency of pest control and environmental contamination. Consequently, the development of supramolecular drug carriers based on host–guest interactions, particularly cyclodextrins, has shown promise in precision agriculture due to their predictable and adjustable properties. In this study, a series of amphiphilic random copolymers incorporating hydrophilic acrylamide and hydrophobic benzotriazole were designed and synthesized through coprecipitation to form a supramolecular inclusion complex. The copolymer and inclusion complex demonstrated pH-responsive behavior, which enabled the controlled release of benzotriazole for the targeted control of B. cinerea, a destructive phytopathogen that causes gray mold disease. The antimicrobial activity of the complex was observed to be superior in targeting specific SF9 cells compared to HepG2 cells and exhibited favorable biosafety. The biological activity and cytotoxicity of these products were evaluated, demonstrating their potential for protecting plants and fruits against B. cinerea.