title: Synthesis and in vitro antifungal efficacy of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles against pathogenic fungi of tomato.
abstract: Cu-chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized and evaluated for their growth promotory and antifungal efficacy in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill). Physico-chemical characterization of the developed Cu-chitosan nanoparticles was carried out by DLS, FTIR, TEM, SEM-EDS and AAS. The study highlighted the stability and porous nature of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles. Laboratory synthesized nanoparticles showed substantial growth promotory effect on tomato seed germination, seedling length, fresh and dry weight at 0.08, 0.10 and 0.12% level. At 0.12% concentration these nanoparticles caused 70.5 and 73.5% inhibition of mycelia growth and 61.5 and 83.0% inhibition of spore germination in Alternaria solani and Fusarium oxysporum, respectively, in an in vitro model. In pot experiments, 0.12% concentration of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles was found most effective in percentage efficacy of disease control (PEDC) in tomato plants with the values of 87.7% in early blight and 61.1% in Fusarium wilt. The overall results confirm the significant growth promotory as well as antifungal capabilities of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles. Our model demonstrated the synthesis of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles and open up the possibility to use against fungal disease at field level. Further, developed porous nanomaterials could be exploited for delivery of agrochemicals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Electronic address: vinodsaharan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saharan
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Garima
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Manju Kumari
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choudhary
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raliya
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Pratim
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biswas
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000067493:Dynamic Light Scattering; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008954:Models, Biological; D025282:Mycelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D016062:Porosity; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003300:Copper; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Antifungal activity; Cu–chitosan nanoparticles; Phytopathogenic fungi