A. Irma Suryani, Hilda Karim, Ahmad Fudhail Majid
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a plant-based nanoemulsion in influencing the cellular immune response and morphology of Spodoptera frugiperda as an environmentally friendly pest control approach. Two formulations of Mirabilis jalapa leaf nanoemulsion were tested: oil-in-water (F1: 0.1 and 0.8%) and water-in-oil (F2: 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8%). Treatments were applied using the leaf-dipping method on larval diets. All nanoemulsion treatments (T1– T6) differed significantly from the control (P<0.0001, ANOVA and Tukey’s test). Exposure to nanoemulsion caused changes in the insect immune system, indicated by altered hemocyte counts, coagulation, and the presence of five hemocyte types in S. frugiperda larvae. Morphological abnormalities were also observed in larval, pupal, and adult stages. The oil-in-water formulation generally stimulated stronger immune responses than the water-in-oil formulation, while high F2 concentrations suppressed immunity due to stress effects. These findings suggest that M. jalapa nanoemulsion can serve as an eco-friendly biopesticide by modulating immune activity and disrupting the normal development of S. frugiperda. © 2026, Unique Scientific Publishers. All rights reserved.
Department of Biology FMIPA, Universitas Negeri Makassar, South Sulawesi, Makassar, 90231, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry FMIPA, Universitas Negeri Makassar, South Sulawesi, Makassar, 90231, Indonesia
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