Chiral dependence of multifunctional supramolecular materials in crop protection

Chiral pesticides have captivated considerable interest in agriculture, yet the integration of chirality into multifunctional supramolecular materials within this sector remains uncharted. Here, we show the fabrication of chiral AIM-12S/R@β-CD by encapsulating AIM-12S/R within β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), designed to enhance foliar adhesion and biofilm disruption for effective management of rice bacterial blight. Upon assembly in aqueous media, the chiral disparities in foliar affinity and biofilm disruption, initially present in AIM-12S/R, are amplified, as evidenced by a 67° lower contact angle for AIM-12R@β-CD relative to its S-enantiomer, and an 8.5-fold increase in biofilm eradication at 12.5 μg·mL⁻¹. Despite comparable in vitro potency, which often obscures chiral influences on other traits, enantioselective interactions between the enantiomers with leaf surfaces and biofilms dictate the divergence in in planta efficacy. This work provides a demonstration of chiral discrimination in supramolecular agrochemicals, presenting valuable insights into the further deployment of chiral supermolecules in agriculture. Chiral agrochemicals are known for enhanced effects, but chiral supramolecular functional materials remain underexplored. Here, the authors engineered S and R chiral cyclodextrin-based carriers, where the R-enantiomer exhibits superior foliar adhesion and biofilm disruption—revealing their promise for agrochemical applications.