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The black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a critical soil pest of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in the early season. Although numerous studies have shown that chemical insecticides through soil-surface or foliar application provide adequate management of black cutworms, relatively little is known about the efficacy of transplant applications. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of insecticide transplant treatment against black cutworm in tobacco in pots and in the field. We also investigated the impact of chlorantraniliprole on tobacco, including dynamic residue concentrations in tobacco and variation in agronomic traits of treated seedlings. Bioassays showed that LC 50 of chlorantraniliprole was 0.28 mg AI/L against black cutworm. In a potted plant experiment, chlorantraniliprole treatment at 15, 30, and 75 g AI/ha reduced the number of damaged tobacco seedlings and increased the mortality of black cutworm within 30 d. When tobacco seedlings were treated with chlorantraniliprole 24 h before transplanting in the field, the control efficacy of chlorantraniliprole treatment at 75 g AI/ha was 45.5%–59.6% at 20 d after treatment. The concentration of chlorantraniliprole in tobacco seedlings treated with 15 g AI/ha was found to degrade to 0.033 mg/kg after 28 d (t 1/2 = 2.54 d), which affected the height of seedlings but not the number of leaves after 28 d. Chlorantraniliprole treatment of seedlings during transplanting is a practical and effective strategy to manage black cutworm in tobacco. • Increasing the dose of chlorantraniliprole to 75 g AI/ha during transplant extended the control periond against A. ipsilon. • Kinetics analysis of chlorantraniliprole residues (applied at 15 g AI/ha) showed that t 1/2 was 2.54 d in tobacco. • Using chlorantraniliprole at 75 g AI/ha during transplant was effective in managing the soil Lepidoptera pest Agrotis ipsilon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are possible future replacements for large-scale energy storage devices because of their safety, low cost, and abundance of materials. Finding a competitive cathode material suitable for zinc-ion insertion/de-insertion, needed to achieve high reversible capacity and long cycle stability, is one of the most important and arduous challenges. For the first time, nickel and cobalt co-substituted spinel ZnMn 2 O 4 nanoparticles, homogeneously loaded onto N-doped reduced graphene oxide (ZnNi x Co y Mn 2-x-y O 4 @N-rGO), were synthesised through a one-step hydrothermal method and applied as a cathode material to accommodate the intercalation of zinc ions. The as-prepared ZnNi x Co y Mn 2-x-y O 4 @N-rGO displayed excellent electrochemical performance, with a reversible capacity of 95.4 mA h g−1, achieved at 1000 mA g−1 after 900 cycles, and a capacity retention ratio of 79%. When the current density increased from 10 mA g−1 to 1500 mA g−1, high capacity (200.5 mA h g−1 to 93.5 mA h g−1) was achieved, which was much higher than that of ZMO@N-rGO without nickel and cobalt co-substituting (184 mA h g−1 to 59.2 mA h g−1), demonstrating excellent rate performance. These excellent electrochemical properties are attributed to the co-substituting of nickel and cobalt elements, which is an effective approach to promote Zn2+ de-intercalation and to stabilize the spinel structure in order to suppress the Jahn-Teller distortion of Mn3+. Therefore, nickel and cobalt co-substituting of spinel ZnMn 2 O 4 @N-rGO with a stable structure opens up new possibilities for large-scale application of rechargeable, aqueous ZIBs. Image 1 • Nickel and cobalt co-substituted spinel ZnMn 2 O 4 nanoparticles were synthesised • The ultrafine ZnNi 0.39 Co 0.59 Mn 0.98 O 4 loaded onto N-doped reduced graphene oxide. • The ZnNi 0.39 Co 0.59 Mn 0.98 O 4 @N-rGO exhibited excellent performance as a cathode for SIBs. • Nickel and cobalt co-substituting stabilized the spinel structure. • The N-doped graphene network ensured highly electronic conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoS 2 has attracted remarkable attention, attributed to its high specific capacity and graphite-like structure. However, the low rate capability and poor cycle stability are two major obstacles that hinder the practical application of MoS 2 in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, MoS 2 grows vertically on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and forms a nanowall structure by electrostatic attraction, whose growth has been induced by cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). This unique nanowall has a large specific surface area, which not only exposes plenty of active sites and shortens the diffusion distance of Na+, but also improves the electronic conductivity and structural stability. Meanwhile, detailed kinetic analysis is also employed to explain the Na+ storage behavior. The pseudo capacitance-dominated contribution ensures a more stable and much faster Na+ storage. Therefore, the MoS 2 @rGO composite displays excellent electrochemical performance. For example, the capacity of the MoS 2 @rGO composite can still be maintained at 571.5 mA h g−1 with 94.1% retention, after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. Impressively, MoS 2 @rGO still exhibits a considerable capacity of 124 mA h g−1 at an ultra-high current density of 40 A g−1. The excellent performance makes the MoS 2 @rGO material a prospective electrode for use in large-scale SIBs. Image 1 • The MoS 2 nanowalls grow vertically on the rGO surface by electrostatic attraction. • The combination of MoS 2 nanowalls and rGO is strengthened by forming a C–S bond. • The composite with MoS 2 nanowalls structure has a large specific surface area. • The MoS 2 nanowalls allows Na+ to deintercalate rapidly along the horizontal direction. • The MoS 2 @rGO composite shows superior cycle and rate performance in SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]