The ecotoxicological consequences of synthetic pesticides have encouraged stakeholders to search for eco-friendly pest control tools, like essential oils (EOs). Nano-delivery systems (nanoparticles and nano-emulsions) seem ideal for developing EO-based biopesticides, although production processes should be standardized and implemented. In this study, nano-emulsions loaded with a high amount of Allium sativum L. EO (15%) were developed using different mixed bottom-up/top-down processes. Garlic EO was chemically analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and formulations were physically characterized using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) apparatus. The insecticidal activity against Planococcus citri Risso (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and selectivity toward Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) worker bees was evaluated. Garlic EO was mainly composed of sulphur components (96.3%), with diallyl disulphide and diallyl trisulphide as the most abundant compounds (37.26% and 28.15%, respectively). Top-down processes could produce stable nano-emulsions with droplet size in the nanometric range (< 200nm) and good polydispersity index (PDI < 0.2). In contrast, the bottom-up emulsion was unstable, and its droplet size was around 500nm after 24 hours. High-energy emulsification processes significantly increased the residual toxicity of garlic EO against 3rd instar P. citri nymphs, whereas the developed formulations were harmless to A. mellifera workers in topical application. This study confirmed that the production process significantly affected the physical properties and efficacy against target pests. The lack of adverse impact on honeybees denotated the potential of these formulations as bioinsecticides in organic and/or IPM programs, although further extended ecotoxicological studies are necessary.

合成农药的生态毒理学后果鼓励利益相关者寻找环保的害虫防治工具，例如精油（EO）。纳米递送系统（纳米颗粒和纳米乳液）似乎是开发基于环氧乙烷的生物农药的理想选择，尽管生产过程应该标准化和实施。在本研究中，使用不同的自下而上/自上而下的混合工艺开发了负载大量大蒜 EO (15%) 的纳米乳液。通过气相色谱-质谱 (GC-MS) 对大蒜 EO 进行化学分析，并使用动态光散射 (DLS) 装置对配方进行物理表征。评估了对柑橘平球菌（半翅目：拟球虫科）的杀虫活性和对蜜蜂科（膜翅目：蜜蜂科）工蜂的选择性。大蒜EO主要由硫成分组成(96.3%)，其中含量最多的化合物是二烯丙基二硫化物和二烯丙基三硫化物(分别为37.26%和28.15%)。自上而下的工艺可以产生稳定的纳米乳液，其液滴尺寸在纳米范围内（<200nm）和良好的多分散指数（PDI<0.2）。相比之下，自下而上的乳液不稳定，24小时后其液滴尺寸在500nm左右。高能乳化过程显着增加了大蒜环氧乙烷对三龄柑橘若虫的残留毒性，而所开发的制剂在局部施用时对意大利蜜蜂工虫无害。这项研究证实，生产过程显着影响物理特性和对目标害虫的功效。 尽管需要进一步扩展生态毒理学研究，但对蜜蜂没有不利影响表明这些制剂在有机和/或 IPM 计划中作为生物杀虫剂的潜力。