abstract
insect sex pheromones as an alternative to chemical pesticides hold promising prospects in pest control. however, their burst release and duration need to be optimized. herein, pheromone-loaded core-shell fibers composed of degradable polycaprolactone and polyhydroxybutyrate were prepared by coaxial electrospinning. the results showed that this core-shell fiber had good hydrophobic performance and thermal stability, and the light transmittance in the ultraviolet band was only below 40%, which provided protection to pheromones. the core-shell structure alleviated the burst release of pheromone in the fiber and extended the release time to about 133 days. in the field, the pheromone-loaded core-shell fibers showed the same continuous and efficient trapping of spodoptera litura as the commercial carriers. more importantly, the electrospun fibers combined with biomaterials had a degradability unmatched by commercial carriers. the structure design strategy provides ideas for the innovative design of pheromone carriers and is a potential tool for the management of agricultural pests.
nano letters,if=10.8
