Silica Cross-Linked Micelles as Pesticide Nanocarriers for Effective Treatment of Xanthomonas oryzae pv Oryzae Infection

The bacterial leaf blight has posed a substantial threat to global rice production. As the pathogen, the Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae (Xoo) forms biofilms that obstruct xylem vessels, influencing the delivery of nutrients and leading to the necrosis of leaves. Traditionally, the pesticides were applied via foliar spraying to treat Xoo, which exhibits low utilization efficiency and limited translocation into the stems of rice. To address this challenge, we prepared silica cross-linked micelles with an ultrasmall size of 13 nm as the nanocarrier of the pesticide bromothalonil for the effective clearance of Xoo. Being applied to the root, the nanopesticide was passively translocated to the rice stem and effectively eliminated Xoo. Furthermore, the nanopesticide is effective in eradicating Xoo, thereby restoring the activity of antioxidant enzymes within rice plants. Additionally, it exhibits favorable biosafety profiles for both rice and nontarget organisms such as zebrafish. Our nanopesticide can alter the transport pathways of the loaded pesticide within plants, providing an effective mean to target pathogen in specific locations of plants, which holds promise to revolutionize the traditional logic of pesticide application.