Application status of termite control agents and their Nano-bioagents

Termites are significant global pests, inflicting severe damage on buildings, hydraulic structures, and agriculture and forestry. Currently, chemical control remains the dominant method for termite management. In major global markets, termiticides are predominantly composed of synthetic chemicals (accounting for over 90%), with pyrethroids (approx. 46%) and neonicotinoids (approx. 20%) being the primary active ingredients. Regarding formulation types, eco-friendly, water-based suspension concentrates (exceeding 40%) have become the mainstream. With increasingly stringent environmental regulations, modern chemical control is shifting toward green pest management strategies that emphasize reduced application rates and enhanced efficacy. In contrast, although conventional bio-derived control agents offer ecological safety, their commercial adoption remains limited due to constraints such as short residual efficacy and poor stability. Meanwhile, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising avenue for termite control innovation, leveraging its distinctive advantages in enhancing drug stability, improving targeted delivery, and enabling intelligent sustained release. This review systematically surveys the registration status of termiticides across major global markets, examines recent advances in nanotechnology applications for bio-derived insecticides including small molecules, nucleic acids, and proteins, and provides a forward-looking perspective on the field-translation challenges and future prospects of nano-enabled termite control agents, with the aim of offering scientific insights for the development of more efficient and environmentally sustainable termite management strategies.