systemic insecticide

Systemic insecticides are water-soluble chemicals absorbed by plants and transported throughout their systems. This allows them to kill insects that feed on any part of the plant, including roots, stems, fruits, flowers, pollen, and nectar. This provides longer-lasting protection than contact sprays and is particularly effective against root-feeding and boring insects.1

A prominent class of systemic insecticides is neonicotinoids, which are chemically related to nicotine. They work by binding to insect nicotinic receptors, affecting the nervous system and causing paralysis and death. While selectively toxic to insects, neonicotinoids have raised environmental concerns due to their impact on non-target organisms like pollinators and invertebrates, leading to restrictions on their use in some regions. Another example is dimethoate, an organophosphate that inhibits cholinesterases, enzymes crucial for nerve impulse transmission.234