Effectiveness of nanobioinsecticide against the mushroom Sciarid, Lycoriella auripila (Diptera: Sciaridae)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Plant oils, because of their diverse bioactive properties, are considered suitable candidates for formulating biopesticides. This study aimed to investigate the insecticidal potential of a nanoformulation containing: cinnamon, coconut, neem, eucalyptus and citronella oils, against Lycoriella auripila flies in an edible mushroom cultivation medium. The efficacy of these formulations was compared to that of conventional synthetic insecticides, specifically thiamethoxam (25% Water Dispersible Granule, WG) and imidacloprid (35% Suspension Concentrate, SC). The prepared nanoemulsion was characterized using various techniques including gas chromatography, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. In a contact bioassay conducted on adult insects, the LC50 value of the nanobioinsecticide was recorded as 765.97 mg a.i. l⁻¹. However, the LC50 values of the chemical insecticides showed higher toxicity, with imidacloprid at 116.41 mg a.i. l⁻¹ and thiamethoxam at 201.08 mg a.i. l⁻¹ proving more effective than the nanobioinsecticide against adult sciarids. By contrast, when tested against larvae, the high-concentration nanobioinsecticide achieved 92% mortality at 7 days post-treatment, whereas thiamethoxam and imidacloprid demonstrated 52% and 71% efficacy, respectively. Overall, these findings suggest that the developed nanobioinsecticide shows promising potential for managing mushroom sciarids and could be effectively integrated into an integrated pest management programme within edible mushroom production facilities.
Source: Royal Society Open Science
DOI: 10.1098/rsos.251411
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,471
OpenAlex ID: W7129775434