Sustainable nanocarriers fabricated via a dipeptide-based co-assembly approach for enhancing the delivery and translocation of herbicides†

Abstract

Pesticide delivery platforms are an effective means to improve the control efficiency of pesticides through multiple functionalities. However, the prevalent use of pesticide carriers is often hindered by complex synthetic pathways, environmentally unfriendly components, and limited loading capacities, which restrict their practical applications in agriculture. In this work, we developed sustainable pesticide nanocarriers using a straightforward supramolecular co-assembly approach, employing bio-based diphenylalanine (FF) as the assembling molecule and the herbicide fluroxypyr (FP) as the active ingredient. Driven by the synergistic effects of hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, π–π stacking, hydrophobic interactions and van der Waals forces, FP and FF co-assembled into stable assemblies with high loading capacity. Notably, the co-assemblies with different compositions exhibited tunable microstructures, including wormlike micelles, micelle-arranged coils, and vesicles. Additionally, these nanocarriers demonstrated sensitive release properties based on the FP/FF ratio and changes in pH value; nearly 97.78% of FP could be released by the 1 : 1 co-assemblies at a pH value of 5. Furthermore, the alteration in size and microscopic morphology after co-assembly facilitated the translocation of FP in the target weed, ultimately enhancing herbicidal activity. Overall, this work proposes a promising approach for developing green and simplified pesticide carriers, offering novel insights and strategies for sustainable agricultural development.