Chapter 21 - Nanobiotechnology of the plant microbiome

Abstract

Nanobiotechnology has gained much attention over the past decade as metal nanoparticles in particular have promising applications in the fields of medicine, electronics, agriculture, water treatment, textiles, etc. In the present scenario, the physical and chemical processes of the synthesis of nanoparticles have posed serious challenges as they may render the nanoparticles toxic. Hereby, recent advances focus on the development of an environmentally benign route for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles employing microbes. The plant microbiome serves as a rich source of untapped microbial biodiversity which may have nanobiotechnological promises. This chapter gives an account of nanobiotechnological prospects of various endophytic bacteria and fungus. Numerous bacterial endophytes from the Genus Pseudomonas, Saccharomonospora, Aneurinibacillus, Bacillus, Bordetella, Pantoea, Isoptericola, and Streptomyces have exhibited the potential to synthesize gold, silver, copper, and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Similarly, the endophytic fungi from the Genus Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Cryptosporiopsos, and Epicoccum, isolated from different medicinal plants have synthesized nanoparticles with exotic shapes and sizes. These biogenic nanoparticles with antibacterial, antifungal, larvicidal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer activity can be promising biocontrol agents as well as candidates for nanomedicine. Further, we present the future scope of investigating the detailed mechanism of the synthesis for the rational tuning of physicochemical properties of biogenic nanoparticles. More research toward the development of optimized process parameters for scaling up and designing downstream efficient recovery processes will be required to establish the commercial potential of such biogenic nanoparticles.