Production of powder and Tablet formulations containing nanoencapsulated essential oil of Artemisia sieberi Besser based on biodegradable polymers and its efficacy against rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Agricultural Entomology

Authors

1 Department of Pesticides Research, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Entomology, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 M.Sc. Graduate, Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22092/jaep.2026.372358.1576

Abstract

The application of plant essential oils in stored product protection faces two major challenges: high volatility and environmental instability. Nanotechnology can overcome these limitations through the design of controlled-release formulations. In the present study, essential oil of Artemisia sieberi was converted into two solid nanoformulations, namely powder 10% and tablet 10%. Because solid controlled-release formulations release the encapsulated oil gradually rather than instantaneously, a uniform exposure period of 72 h was applied to the pure essential oil and both formulations to allow a fair comparison. Fumigant toxicity, persistence of insecticidal efficacy of these formulations were evaluated against adults of the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) in comparison with the pure essential oil. The results showed that the LC50 values of pure essential oil, powder formulation, and tablet formulation after 72 h were 68, 23, and 44 µL/L air, respectively. At a constant concentration of 21 µL/L air, the LT50 value for the tablet formulation (23 days) was significantly higher than that of the powder formulation (19 days), indicating greater persistence of the tablet. Based on the findings, the choice of appropriate formulation depends on the pest management strategy, the powder formulation with higher acute toxicity is recommended for rapid control and immediate population reduction, whereas the tablet formulation with greater persistence is a more suitable option for long-term protection and sustained efficacy in storage facilities.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Applied Entomology and Phytopathology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 June 2026

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