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Sustainability
Volume 13
Issue 11
10.3390/su13116167
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Article

Sustainable Pest Management Using Biodegradable Apitoxin-Loaded Calcium-Alginate Microspheres

by
Darija Lemic
1,*,
Matej Orešković
1,
Katarina M. Mikac
2,
Marijan Marijan
3,
Slaven Jurić
4,
Kristina Vlahoviček-Kahlina
4 and
Marko Vinceković
4
1
Department for Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
2
Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2500, Australia
3
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 20/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
4
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6167; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116167
Submission received: 12 May 2021 / Revised: 21 May 2021 / Accepted: 28 May 2021 / Published: 30 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Sustainable Agroecosystems Design and Management)
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Abstract

Alternatives and replacements for synthetic chemical-based plant protectants are required. In this study biopolymeric microspheres containing arthropod-derived apitoxin are explored as a possible novel environmentally friendly formulation for plant protection. Here we document the optimization process for microencapsulation of apitoxin into a stable formulation, for ready use in agricultural applications. Efficacy trials were carried out on three different beetle species at various developmental stages (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say, 1824.), Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758.), Sitophilus granarius (Linnaeus, 1758.)). The encapsulated apitoxin has a steady initial and long residual effect, due to the slow release of apitoxin which is one of its main advantages over other conventional control methods. Microspheres loaded with apitoxin have a detrimental effect on insects, of which it is significantly better gastric compared to contact action (due to pH). The results showed that the highest and fastest mortality was obtained when the highest concentrations (0.6%) were applied, chosen to be economically acceptable. These important findings contribute to knowledge on the application and development of encapsulated apitoxin formulations, and their effectiveness, as an alternative eco-friendly control method in agricultural production.
Keywords: apitoxin; encapsulation; microspheres; mortality; efficiency apitoxin; encapsulation; microspheres; mortality; efficiency

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MDPI and ACS Style

Lemic, D.; Orešković, M.; Mikac, K.M.; Marijan, M.; Jurić, S.; Vlahoviček-Kahlina, K.; Vinceković, M. Sustainable Pest Management Using Biodegradable Apitoxin-Loaded Calcium-Alginate Microspheres. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6167. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116167

AMA Style

Lemic D, Orešković M, Mikac KM, Marijan M, Jurić S, Vlahoviček-Kahlina K, Vinceković M. Sustainable Pest Management Using Biodegradable Apitoxin-Loaded Calcium-Alginate Microspheres. Sustainability. 2021; 13(11):6167. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116167

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lemic, Darija, Matej Orešković, Katarina M. Mikac, Marijan Marijan, Slaven Jurić, Kristina Vlahoviček-Kahlina, and Marko Vinceković. 2021. "Sustainable Pest Management Using Biodegradable Apitoxin-Loaded Calcium-Alginate Microspheres" Sustainability 13, no. 11: 6167. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116167

APA Style

Lemic, D., Orešković, M., Mikac, K. M., Marijan, M., Jurić, S., Vlahoviček-Kahlina, K., & Vinceković, M. (2021). Sustainable Pest Management Using Biodegradable Apitoxin-Loaded Calcium-Alginate Microspheres. Sustainability, 13(11), 6167. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116167

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