title: Effect of amphotericin B nanodisks on plant fungal diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The development of water-soluble nanodevices extends the potential use of compounds developed for other purposes (e.g. antifungal drugs or antibiotics) for applications in agriculture. For example, the broad-spectrum, water-insoluble, macrolide polyene antibiotic amphotericin B (AMB) could be used to inhibit phytopathogenic fungi. A new formulation embedding AMB in nanodisks (NDs) enhances antibiotic solubility and confers protection against environmental damage. In the present study, AMB-NDs were tested for efficacy against several phytopathogenic fungi in vitro and on infected living plants (chickpea and wheat).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with AMB in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), AMB-NDs increased the sensitivity of several fungal species to this antimycotic in vitro. Sensitivity varied with fungal species as well as with the forma specialis. Phytophthora cinnamomi, previously reported as insensitive to other polyene antimycotics, remained unaffected at the doses examined. Some effect against disease symptoms were obtained with AMB-NDs against fusarium wilt in chickpea, whereas the results were highly variable in wheat, depending on both the species and treatment regimen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirm that formulation of AMB into ND increases its effectiveness against phytopathogenic fungi in vitro, opening the possibility for its use on infected plants in the field.
authors.affiliation: IFAPA, Centro Alameda del Obispo, Área de Mejora y Biotecnología, Córdoba, Spain. alejandro.perez.luque@juntadeandalucia.es
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez-de-Luque
authors.forename: Zuny
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cifuentes
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beckstead
authors.forename: Josefina C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sillero
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: Robert O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D029863:Cicer / Q000382:microbiology*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010838:Phytophthora / Q000187:drug effects; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014908:Triticum / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D000666:Amphotericin B