Muhammad Shaheer Mustafa 1, Kinza Fatima 2, Nasir Ahmad Khan 3, Rania Noor4, Laiba Idrees4, Shaista Shafiq 4,*, Qurrat-ul-Ain 5, Shafqat Rasool 6, Muhammad Ateeb 7, Muhammad Bilal Hameed 8 and Maimoona Mustafa 1
1Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan; 2National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P.R. China; 3Department of Plant Pathology University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan; 4Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, the University of Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan; 5Department of Chemistry, Government College for Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan; 6School of Eastern Medicine Minhaj University, Lahore, Pakistan; 7Research Associate, Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization, the University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan; 8Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan
*Corresponding Author: S.shafiq@hotmail.com
Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is one of the major crops commercially grown for its natural fiber, which is affected by pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella). P. gossypiella feeds on cotton seeds, lint, and fibers from inside the cotton bolls. Several toxic pesticides are being used to control its population, but it cannot be controlled once it enters the cotton bolls. Hence, nanotechnology is introduced for sustainable pest management, offering precision, efficacy, and environmental friendly as compared to conventional chemical methods, in which nanoparticles, especially silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), penetrate the exoskeleton of the insect body and affect its normal body function. Once AgNPs enter the insect body, they produce Ag+ ions and reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing cellular toxicity, disruption in midgut epithelial cells, interference with enzyme activity and the respiratory system, disrupt ATP production, and induce oxidative stress. All these effects cause defects in the larval metabolism, feeding, and development, which cause mortality. Moreover, AgNPs can be prepared through the ecologically friendly green synthesis relying on plant extracts and reducing the environmental hazard caused by chemical synthesis. The application of AgNPs into cotton pest management systems is a potential approach that is environmentally friendly, resistance-free, and has the potential to offer profound protection of crops in the long run. This review identifies the mechanisms, synthesis strategies, and future opportunities of AgNPs in the effective management of P. gossypiella with the perspective of innovation in pest management practices.