Sol-gel microencapsulated rosemary essential oil as enhanced biopesticide

Abstract Template-driven sol-gel microencapsulation of rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ) essential oil within submicrometric SiO 2 core-shell microcapsules affords a new solid biopesticide dubbed herein “SiliRosm” that can be readily formulated in water, enhancing the stability and bioactivity of the essential oil. Comparing two sol-gel microencapsulation routes to optimize encapsulation efficiency and protection of the bioactive compounds, this study shows that the sol-gel microencapsulation of the essential oil facilitates the sustained release of its molecular components via the Baker–Lonsdale release kinetic model. First results showing high biocidal activity of SiliRosm formulated in water against highly polyphagous Spodoptera littoralis are promising toward the practical application of SiliRosm for crop protection. Graphical abstract