8 - Agro-nanodiagnostics for plant diseases

Abstract

Identification, characterization, and management of plant pathogens causing acute plant diseases are essential to ensure sustainable agricultural productivity and meet the rising global food requirement. In crops, where resistant varieties are unavailable, various strategies are adopted for control and management of disease, however, the most crucial aspect is early detection and effective diagnosis. Traditional methods involving observation of symptoms and culturing organisms on specific media followed by microscopic studies are the most reliable method for disease identification. Nonetheless, the process is laborious and time-consuming. Antibody-based immunoassays and molecular disease diagnostic methods are currently being used as advanced methods for rapid identification of disease symptoms, however, each one has its constraints. Therefore, there is an urgent need to device highly sensitive alternate techniques for quick identification and timely eradication of plant pathogens. The nanomaterial-based agro-diagnostics method can be the best option for the rapid and reliable analysis of plant pathogens. Nanoparticles with dimensions ranging from 1 to 100nm facilitate increased surface-to-volume ratio area, and can easily interact with target biomolecules due to their small size. The exceptional optical, chemical, electrical, and biological properties of nanoscale materials have raised their demand in various fields of science including medicine, imaging, and diagnostic techniques. The extraordinary performance and cost-effectiveness of the nanoparticles make them a potential candidate to be utilized as nanodiagnostic tools to circumvent severe diseases in crop plants. In this chapter, our main emphasis is to explore the design and functioning of the previously structured agro nanodiagnostic tools and provide insight into their utilization to achieve enhanced agricultural productivity.