Table 2 Application of CuO NPs as nanopesticides

Phytophthora nicotianae

0–100 mg/L

• Hyphal colony significantly decreased at 50 and 100 mg/L

• Sporangium number decreased by increasing concentrations

• Morphological damage, intercellular ROS accumulation, and increased SOD enzyme activity in hyphae

[21]

Spodoptera frugiperda

10–100 mg/L

• 97%, 94%, and 81% larvicidal activity observed at 3rd, 4th, and 5th instar larvae

• 98.25%, 98.01%, and 98.42% antifeedant activity on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th instar larvae

• After 24-h exposure, the hemocyte levels significantly decreased

• Concentration dependent decrease in acetylcholinesterase levels of larval

[44]

Rhizopus oryzae

25–100 mg/L

• The mycelial growth was decreased by increasing concentration

• CuO NPs exhibited notable radical scavenging activity

• Overall, CuO NPs exhibited remarkable antifungal activity and reduced disease severity against R. oryzae

[25]

Spodoptera littoralis

150–600 mg/L

• Mortality of treated larva increased by increasing concentration of CuO NPs

• The microflower like CuO NPs exhibited fast entomotoxic effect with LC₅₀ = 232.75 mg/L after 3 days

• The LT₅₀ of CuO NPs at 600 mg/L were 2.69 days

• The rectangular CuO also showed fast entomotoxic effect with LC50 = 205.63 mg/L after 3 days and LT50 was 2.13 days

[45]

Alternaria alternata

Cu concentration was 40.09 μg/mL, ε-PL concentration was 11.90 μg/mL

• Higher antifungal activity compared to individual component of nanogel

• Affected spore production, spore germination rate and bud tube elongation length

• Highest inhibition rate (85.10 ± 1.16%) at 1 mg/mL of the composite nanogel

• EC₅₀ value were 0.4123 mg/mL

[20]