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Review
. 2020 Oct 16;113(5):2061-2068.
doi: 10.1093/jee/toaa183.

Hydrogels: From Controlled Release to a New Bait Delivery for Insect Pest Management

Jia-Wei Tay  1 , Dong-Hwan Choe  2 , Ashok Mulchandani  3   4 , Michael K Rust  2
Affiliations
Review

Hydrogels: From Controlled Release to a New Bait Delivery for Insect Pest Management

Jia-Wei Tay et al. J Econ Entomol. .

Abstract

Here, we review the literature on the development and application of hydrogel compounds for insect pest management. Researchers have used hydrogel compounds for the past few decades to achieve the controlled release of various contact insecticides, but in recent years, hydrogel compounds have also been used to absorb and deliver targeted concentrations of toxicants within a liquid bait to manage insect pests. The highly absorbent hydrogel acts as a controlled-release formulation that keeps the liquid bait available and palatable to the target pests. This review discusses the use of various types of hydrogel compounds in pest management based on different environmental settings (e.g., agricultural, urban, and natural areas), pest systems (e.g., different taxa), and modes of insecticide delivery (e.g., spray vs bait). Due to their unique physicochemical properties, hydrogel compounds have great potential to be developed into new and efficacious pest management strategies with minimal environmental impact. We will also discuss the future research and development of hydrogels in this review.

Keywords: alginate; ant control; controlled release; hydrogel; pest management.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Yellowjackets carry small pieces of polyacrylamide hydrogel baits hydrated in chicken juice containing an AI, back to the nest.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Argentine ants create trails to the alginate hydrogels containing liquid sucrose baits and continue to swarm the food source.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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