The main objective of NanoPesTo is to control the insects that infect tomato plants by nanostructures, and the gap that the current proposal aspires to bridge is that nanomaterials have not been studied as insecticides, but only against microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and nematodes. Hence, nanomaterials will be a crucial component in the agroecosystem and have the potential to make tomorrow’s sustainable agriculture reforming the modern agricultural practices. Based on our positive experience, through NanoPesTo we wish to develop “smart”, responsive, advanced nanopesticides to face the challenge of sustainable nano-agrochemicals. In particular, the present proposal is focusing on:

• Development and physicochemical characterization of advanced hybrid engineered nanomaterials (HENs) based on primary inorganic nanoparticles (INPs).
• Controlled, sustained release of AIs based on the conjugation/loading approach.
• Evaluation of direct effect of HENs on Tuta absoluta and Spodoptera exiqua by artificial feeding.
• Evaluation of tomato responses to the foliar spray of HENs; effects on photosynthetic efficiency and ecotoxicological impact.
• Evaluation of HENs sprayed tomato (leaf discs) effect on Tuta absoluta and Spodoptera exigua (natural diet/feeding).
• Evaluation of photosynthetic response of HENs sprayed tomato plants to Tuta absoluta and Spodoptera exigua feeding.