Zein nanoparticles for pelargonic acid delivery: Exploring nanoparticle-plant interactions and changes in translocation pathways

• Grant number: 25/00938-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto
• Grantee: Vanessa Takeshita
• Supervisor: Jason C White
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Sorocaba. Sorocaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/16519-7 - Double bioherbicide nanosystem as a sustainable strategy for weed control, BP.PD

Abstract

Nanoherbicides outperform conventional formulations due to enhanced absorption and delivery mechanisms; however, the processes governing nanoparticle-mediated herbicide transport remain unclear, mainly for polymer nanoparticles. Pelargonic acid (PA), a bioherbicide with low solubility and limited systemic transport, faces challenges in achieving effective weed control. Developing advanced formulations to improve PA translocation and distribution within plants is essential for maximizing its efficacy, highlighting the potential of nanoparticle-based strategies to address these limitations and enhance bioherbicide performance. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the ability to control the nanocarrier-plant interaction to regulate the translocation and target the delivery of herbicide (PA) by zein NPs as a proof of concept. Three zein-based nanoplatforms will be developed (zein, zein-pectin, and zein-sucrose) as carriers to deliver PA in plants. Plants and protoplasts from Amaranthus spp. will be treated via nanoherbicide foliar application. The uptake and translocation will be analyzed by fluorescence microscopy at the plant tissue and cellular level through the zein labeled with fluorescein. Herbicidal effects in plant tissues and cells will be evaluated though plant biomass and cell death. Also, biochemical analysis will provide data to confirm the delivery of PA inside plant tissues (translocation) and cells. A dose-response assay with Amaranthus spp. plants will be carried out to evaluate the weed control efficacy of zein-based nanoplatforms to deliver PA. The data will provide insights into the ability of polymeric nanoparticles to modulate the delivery route of herbicides in plants, and the feasibility of using pelargonic acid as an herbicide. In addition, a validation of these methodologies may be helpful for screening other nanoplatforms in plants.