The synthesis and characterization of composites of oligomeric chitosan with propolis extract which allow the incorporation of a third component (silver nanoparticles) are reported, together with their application in aqueous or hydroalcoholic solutions with a view to the formation of adhesive substances or nanofilms for the protection of vineyards against harmful xylophagous fungi. The antimicrobial properties of the association of the two biological products or those resulting from the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (NPs) are studied and discussed. The efficacy of the chitosan oligomers/propolis/silver NPs ternary system is assessedin vitroforDiplodiafungi. A preliminary study on the convenience of replacing propolis with gentisic acid is also presented.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are a major threat to the wine and grape industry. The aim of the study was to investigate the antifungal activity against Neofusicoccum parvum, Diplodia seriata, and Botryosphaeria dothidea of ε-polylysine, chitosan oligomers, their conjugates, Streptomyces rochei and S. lavendofoliae culture filtrates, and their binary mixtures with chitosan oligomers. In vitro mycelial growth inhibition tests suggest that the efficacy of these treatments, in particular those based on ε-polylysine and ε-polylysine:chitosan oligomers 1:1 w/w conjugate, against the three Botryosphaeriaceae species would be comparable to or higher than that of conventional synthetic fungicides. In the case of ε-polylysine, EC90 values as low as 227, 26.9, and 22.5 µg·mL−1 were obtained for N. parvum, D. seriata, and B. dothidea, respectively. Although the efficacy of the conjugate was slightly lower, with EC90 values of 507.5, 580.2, and 497.4 µg·mL−1, respectively, it may represent a more cost-effective option to the utilization of pure ε-polylysine. The proposed treatments may offer a viable and sustainable alternative for controlling GTDs.

Fusarium culmorum is a soil-borne fungus able to cause Fusarium head blight, one of the most important cereal diseases worldwide, which can result in significant yield losses of up to 50% and which jeopardizes food and feed safety due to the mycotoxins produced. In the study presented herein, the enhancement of the antifungal activity against this pathogen, resulting from the addition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to different polyphenol-stevioside inclusion compounds, dispersed either in a chitosan oligomers hydroalcoholic solution or in a choline chloride:urea:glycerol deep eutectic solvent, was investigated in vitro. The polyphenols assayed were curcumin, ferulic acid, gallic acid and silymarin. Four composite concentrations (62.5, 125, 250 and 500 µg·mL−1), with and without AgNPs, were assessed, finding noticeable differences in mycelial growth inhibition, with EC50 and EC90 values ranging from 118 to 579 µg·mL−1 and from 333 to 2604 µg·mL−1, respectively. The obtained results evidenced the improved efficacy of the composites with AgNPs, a superior performance of the composites based on curcumin and ferulic acid, and the advantages of the deep eutectic solvent-based dispersion medium over the chitosan oligomers-based one. The reported composites hold promise for crop protection applications.

Microorganisms that colonize the fuel-in-water emulsion from the Prestige spill have been compared with those from Exxon-Valdez. Both emulsions contained non-fermentative gram-negative rods but unlike Exxon-Valdez's, the Prestige's spill contained anaerobic bacteria and no fungi. Our main finding has been the identification of Shewanella putrefaciens , a bacterium promising for bioremediation.

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