Abstract Regulating pesticide delivery behavior in soil remains an enduring challenge for controlling soil‐borne diseases like root‐knot nematodes. To systematically investigate the influence of morphology on diffusion behavior, a series of avermectin (AVM)‐loaded carbohydrate‐based nanocapsules (AVM@CNCs) with distinct morphologies are constructed through emulsion polycondensation using low‐molecule carbohydrates (LMC). The nanocapsules formed with different saccharides exhibit clear proportional differences in morphology, which are categorized into four primary types: concave, amorphous, spherical, and polygonal structures. While exhibiting good suspension stability and photolysis resistance, the four primary morphological nanocarriers exhibit significantly different leaching effects. Notably, concave nanocapsules exhibit pronounced lateral diffusion (improved by 40% compared to suspension concentrate), which is a capability essential for drip irrigation delivery systems. Consequently, it enhanced the control efficiency against root‐knot nematodes by ≈80% in pot experiments and 30% in field trials. Furthermore, it also mitigated the impact of AVM on crop seed germination and enhanced safety for earthworms by 50%. While providing sustained release, the carrier material has great degradability, preventing long‐term environmental residue. Overall, this study proposes a novel strategy for precisely regulating pesticide diffusion behaviors through nanocarrier morphology modulation, offering an effective solution to the current challenges in agriculture.
Wu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.