Fighting Phytopathogens with Engineered Inorganic-Based Nanoparticles

Abstract

The development of effective and ecofriendly agrochemicals, including bactericides, fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides, to control pests and prevent plant diseases remains a key challenge. Nanotechnology has provided opportunities for the use of nanomaterials as components in the development of anti-phytopathogenic agents. Indeed, inorganic-based nanoparticles (INPs) are among the promising ones. They may play an effective role in targeting and killing microbes via diverse mechanisms, such as deposition on the microbe surface, destabilization of cell walls and membranes by released metal ions, and the induction of a toxic mechanism mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species. Considering the lack of new agrochemicals with novel mechanisms of action, it is of particular interest to determine and precisely depict which types of INPs are able to induce antimicrobial activity with no phytotoxicity effects, and which microbe species are affected. Therefore, this review aims to provide an update on the latest advances in research focusing on the study of several types of engineered INPs, that are well characterized (size, shape, composition, and surface features) and show promising reactivity against assorted species (bacteria, fungus, virus). Since effective strategies for plant protection and plant disease management are urgently needed, INPs can be an excellent alternative to chemical agrochemical agents as indicated by the present studies.

Antiviral Activity of Chitosan Nanoparticles and Chitosan Silver Nanocomposites against Alfalfa Mosaic Virus

“…Plant viral infections have a significant negative economic impact on sustainable agriculture. Among various cutting-edge approaches, using nanoparticles has been proven as a novel approach to withstand viral infections in different crop plants [27][28][29]. AMV is an emerging threat to crop production in Egypt [30,31].…”

Biosynthesis of cupric oxide nanoparticles: its antiviral activities against TMV by directly destroying virion and inducing plant resistance

“…Due to their special physical and chemical properties, NPs are gradually applied in many fields, such as medical treatment, electronics, cosmetics, food, energy, and agriculture. Simultaneously, there has been a growing interest in inorganic nanoparticles (INPs), particularly those incorporating bio-essential metals such as Cu, Mg, and Zn (Kanakari and Dendrinou-Samara 2023). The antiviral activity of INPs primarily manifests through the inhibition of viral entry into plant cells or the suppression of viral replication post-entry (Farooq et al 2021).…”

Impact of Coated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Photosystem II of Tomato Plants

“…One particular area of interest involves the synthesis of an ideal semiconductor with more electron-hole pairs and a large surface area capable of preventing the recombination of the electron carriers [14]. In this venue, engineered inorganic nanoparticles (EINPs) meet phytonanotechnology [15]. EINPs with photoactive properties are candidates for enhancing photosynthetic processes in plants.…”