Work

Hydrogels: From Controlled Release to a New Bait Delivery for Insect Pest Management

Year: 2020

Type: review

Abstract: Here, we review the literature on the development and application of hydrogel compounds for insect pest management. Researchers have used hydrogel compounds for the past few decades to achieve the controlled release of various contact insecticides, but in recent years, hydrogel compounds have also been used to absorb and deliver targeted concentrations of toxicants within a liquid bait to manage insect pests. The highly absorbent hydrogel acts as a controlled-release formulation that keeps the liquid bait available and palatable to the target pests. This review discusses the use of various types of hydrogel compounds in pest management based on different environmental settings (e.g., agricultural, urban, and natural areas), pest systems (e.g., different taxa), and modes of insecticide delivery (e.g., spray vs bait). Due to their unique physicochemical properties, hydrogel compounds have great potential to be developed into new and efficacious pest management strategies with minimal environmental impact. We will also discuss the future research and development of hydrogels in this review.

Source: Journal of Economic Entomology

DOI: 10.1093/jee/toaa183

Authors: Jia-Wei Tay, Dong-Hwan Choe, Ashok Mulchandani, Michael K Rust

Institutions: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of California, Riverside

Language: English

Topic: Polymer-Based Agricultural Enhancements

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,328

Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Hawai'i, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service