Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is considered one of the most important agricultural pests, globally. It is a highly prevalent and very damaging insect pest to several vegetables and crops like cotton, castor, tobacco, beet, soybean, cabbage etc. The implication of Integrated Pest Management practices leads to slightly controlling its population in the field; however, it is always linked with the economic and environmental costs of eradication. In the last decade, many researchers have reported the control of this devastating insect via the implication of nanoparticles (NPs) however the mechanism behind its toxicity is still a gap area. In our study, we investigated the toxic impact of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) against S. litura when administered orally. It causes a range of immunomodulatory responses including distorted morphology (such as abnormal pupa, distorted wings in insects etc.) and reproductive physiology, weight reduction and insect death. Mass spectrometric analysis of differentially expressed proteins suggests significant downregulation of the storage proteins in larval hemolymph that in turn resulted in to altered expression/synthesis of developmental and reproductive proteins including vitellogenin (the major egg-filling protein required for developing embryo nourishment) in treated insects. The poor accumulation of vitellogenin in developing eggs led to a disrupted life cycle and a nearly complete check on population buildup. This is the first study that enlightens upon the molecular mechanism behind the toxicity offered by these tiny carbon particles.

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