Lipid nanoparticles: a sustainable solution for crop disease management

Abstract

The global challenge of achieving sustainable agricultural productivity and ensuring food security is exacerbated by the threat of phytopathogens and pests, which cause substantial damage and result in annual production losses of approximately 20%–40%, amounting to around 40 billion US dollars worldwide. Current reliance on conventional pesticides for crop disease management not only poses risks to human, animal, and environmental health but also contributes to the development of resistant pathogens. In response to this pressing issue, innovative technologies utilizing nanomaterials offer a promising alternative. These nanomaterials including lipid based nanoparticles (LNPs) can encapsulate and deliver pesticidal active ingredients in a controlled and targeted manner, presenting opportunities to enhance efficacy and efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. This approach represents a crucial step towards sustainable agriculture, preserving agro-ecosystem resilience and ensuring global food security. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the use of LNPs in agriculture, with a focus on their applications for crop disease management.