The 'Green Revolution' of Silicone Oil in Agriculture: From Pesticide Enhancers to 'Liquid Sensors' for Intelligent Irrigation

Traditional pesticides have a utilization rate of less than 40% due to being easily washed away by rainwater, while the microcapsule encapsulation technology formed by silicone oil modification can lock the active ingredients of pesticides inside the silicone oil polymer composite film, achieving precise control of "contact release". Field trials have shown that silicone oil microcapsule pesticides can maintain over 85% of their efficacy even after rainfall, reducing pesticide use by 60% while increasing pest control effectiveness to 92%. In the field of intelligent irrigation, the composite material of silicone oil and carbon nanotubes has shown amazing potential: this material can be used to make soil moisture sensors. When the soil moisture content is below a set threshold, the expansion of silicone oil molecules causes a change in the conductivity of carbon nanotubes, triggering the irrigation system to automatically replenish water. After the application of this "self sensing self response" system in grape plantations in Dunhuang, Gansu, the water-saving efficiency reached 45% and the glucose content increased by 1.2 ° Brix