Precise Control of Interfaces to Support Food Production: Next-generation Agriculture Pioneered by Functional Adjuvants

Abstract

Functional spray adjuvants play an increasingly important role in stabilizing and enhancing pesticide performance under changing agricultural conditions, including climate change, labor shortages, and the expansion of smart agriculture. This review describes the development and performance of two types of functional adjuvants: high-wetting adjuvants and drone-spraying adjuvants.

High-wetting adjuvants were designed based on a comprehensive control of both liquid surface tension and solid–liquid interfacial tension, using plant-derived polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters as active ingredients. These adjuvants exhibited superior wetting and spreading on hydrophobic crop surfaces and enhanced penetration into fungal and insect bodies, leading to stabilized and improved efficacy of fungicides and insecticides. Drone-spraying adjuvants were developed to address specific challenges of aerial application, such as droplet evaporation, drift, and reduced surface coverage. By suppressing droplet evaporation through interfacial film formation, these adjuvants effectively reduced drift and significantly improved crop coverage and pest control efficacy under low-volume, high-concentration, and high-altitude spraying conditions.

These findings demonstrate that precise interfacial control using functional adjuvants can contribute to reduced pesticide use, improved application efficiency, and sustainable crop protection in next-generation agriculture.

graphical abstract