In the face of the ecological crisis caused by the global overuse of chemical pesticides, insect pheromones, as a core means of biological control, are reshaping agriculture with a compound annual growth rate of 7.6%. However, their volatility and susceptibility to degradation have constrained their application. The groundbreaking integration of nanotechnology has provided a powerful engine for the efficient and sustained release of pheromones.
Traditional carriers struggle to control the early "burst release" of pheromones and have a short duration of effectiveness. A team from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences innovatively designed nanocomposite fibers with polycaprolactone as the core and polyhydroxybutyrate as the shell, successfully loading the sex pheromone of the common cutworm (Spodoptera litura). This structure exhibits excellent thermal stability, hydrophobicity, and UV resistance, effectively mitigating "burst release," significantly extending the release period, maintaining long-lasting field trapping efficacy, and being environmentally degradable. Meanwhile, nanoscale sustained-release technology has dramatically increased the effective period of pheromones from 7 days to 60 days. On a global scale, Japan's Shin-Etsu has developed "intelligent release microcapsules" responsive to temperature and humidity, while the United States' Suterra has launched a nanotechnology-optimized pheromone subscription service (USD 120 per hectare per year).
Nanotechnology-empowered pheromones bring multiple benefits:
1. Agricultural production: Soybean growers in Brazil have seen a 42% reduction in pesticide costs and a 15% premium on their crops.
2. Ecological protection: Pesticide use is reduced by 12 kilograms per hectare, equivalent to a CO₂ emission reduction of 34 kilograms; the number of natural enemy insects in vineyards in California, USA, has increased by 37 species.
3. Food safety: EU testing shows that the rate of excessive pesticide residues in agricultural products treated with pheromones is only 0.3%, a sharp 90% drop compared to chemical control. With the in-depth integration of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology, the insect pheromone market is poised for explosive growth.