Hydroxy propyl cellulose-coated and prochloraz-loaded calcium carbonate carriers with pH/cellulose responsiveness for environmentally-safe fungicide delivery

Abstract

The advancement of stimulus-responsive pesticide delivery systems offers a pivotal strategy for reconciling agricultural productivity with ecological sustainability. This study engineers a cellulose-functionalized vaterite calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanoplatform (Pro@CaCO₃@HPC, PCH) endowed with pH/cellulase dual-responsive intelligence for targeted prochloraz delivery. The hierarchically porous vaterite architecture facilitates superior drug loading (12.4%, w/w), while demonstrating environmentally triggered release kinetics. Controlled liberation studies reveal 2.37-fold and 2.13-fold cumulative release enhancements under acidic conditions and cellulase exposure, respectively, compared to neutral environments—a response mechanism strategically aligned with the pathophysiological microenvironment of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. The multifunctional nanoformulation exhibits threefold advantages: (1) enhanced antifungal performance, achieving 96.1% mycelial inhibition at 1 µg mL⁻¹ compared to conventional formulations (72.7%); (2) reduced environmental footprint through 27.7% decreased soil mobility relative to free prochloraz; (3) improved biosafety profiles, maintaining crop germination rates 13.3% higher than commercial formulations while demonstrating attenuated cytotoxicity. This phytopathology-activated delivery system establishes a technological paradigm that synchronizes three critical agricultural requirements: pathogen-responsive precision, environmental persistence mitigation, and non-target organism protection. Therefore, this study provides an environmentally friendly, intelligent and efficient strategy, which shows great potential in the field of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum control.