Plant viruses cause enormous losses in agricultural production accounting for about 47% of the total overall crop losses caused by plant pathogens. More than 50% of the emerging plant diseases are reported to be caused by viruses, which are inevitable or unmanageable. Therefore, it is essential to devise novel and effective management strategies to combat the losses caused by the plant virus in economically important crops. Nanotechnology presents a new tendency against the increasing challenges in the diagnosis and management of plant viruses as well as plant health. The application of nanotechnology in plant virology, known as nanophytovirology, includes disease diagnostics, drug delivery, genetic transformation, therapeutants, plant defense induction, and bio-stimulation; however, it is still in the nascent stage. The unique physicochemical properties of particles in the nanoscale allow greater interaction and it may knock out the virus particles. Thus, it opens up a novel arena for the management of plant viral diseases. The main objective of this review is to focus on the mounting collection of tools and techniques involved in the viral disease diagnosis and management and to elucidate their mode of action along with toxicological concerns.

Soil borne pathogens are significant contributor of plant yield loss globally. The constraints in early diagnosis, wide host range, longer persistence in soil makes their management cumbersome and difficult. Therefore, it is crucial to devise innovative and effective management strategy to combat the losses caused by soil borne diseases. The use of chemical pesticides is the mainstay of current plant disease management practices that potentially cause ecological imbalance. Nanotechnology presents a suitable alternative to overcome the challenges associated with diagnosis and management of soil-borne plant pathogens. This review explores the use of nanotechnology for the management of soil-borne diseases using a variety of strategies, such as nanoparticles acting as a protectant, as carriers of actives like pesticides, fertilizers, antimicrobials, and microbes or by promoting plant growth and development. Nanotechnology can also be used for precise and accurate detection of soil-borne pathogens for devising efficient management strategy. The unique physico-chemical properties of nanoparticles allow greater penetration and interaction with biological membrane thereby increasing its efficacy and releasability. However, the nanoscience specifically agricultural nanotechnology is still in its toddler stage and to realize its full potential, extensive field trials, utilization of pest crop host system and toxicological studies are essential to tackle the fundamental queries associated with development of commercial nano-formulations.

Photoredox catalysis has gained widespread attention in the recent years as a powerful tool to drive chemical transformations in the presence of light, particularly for molecules that are capable of...

No abstract

Chitosan is a naturally occurring biopolymer having multifaceted applications in agriculture, medicine, food industry, and cosmetics. The association of this natural biopolymer with nanotechnology can produce revolutionary effects in plant protection and agriculture. Nano-chitosan can be fabricated using various methods. However, the green synthesis approach has gained attention in recent years. The green engineered nanoparticles are economical, energetically feasible, and environmentally benign. The biosynthesized nano-chitosan has evolved as a potential plant protection agent. Chitosan nanoparticles possess antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, and are found to be effective against seed-borne and soil-borne pathogens. Nano-chitosan also behaves as an effector molecule and induces local and systemic defense responses in plants. The mode of action of nano-chitosan involves alterations in membrane permeability, replication, cytoplasmic alterations, induction of defense-related genes, and cell lysis. Furthermore, chitosan nanoparticles can be used for soil improvement and can reduce pest and pathogen attacks, thereby promoting the growth of plants. The authors outline the methods of synthesis and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles, their utilization in plant protection and growth promotion, along with the underlying mechanisms.