Abstract
Nanoparticles are substances ranging from 1 – 100 nm in size and they have improved property such as increased surface area to volume ratio. In this study, in vitro antifungal activities of mancozeb/phytosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles against Eurotium sp. isolated from diseased cassava plants (Manihot esculenta crantz) were determined. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles was synthesized using Moringa leaf extract and characterization of the biosynthesized nanoparticles was done using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Different combinationsof zinc oxide nanoparticles and mancozeb were prepared corresponding to 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25 ZnO nanoparticles/mancozeb respectively. Antifungal testing using the test nanoparticles/mancozeb combinations was carried out using thefood poisoning method. The results obtained from this study indicate that zinc oxide nanoparticles/mancozeb combinations significantly inhibited the growth of the test pathogen with varying rates of inhibition. One hundred percent (100 %) inhibition of Eurotium sp. was obtained by 25/75, 75/25 and 100 % nanoparticles treatments. Future direction to this study is to investigate how ZnO nanoparticles/mancozeb combinations could be used for crop protection against phytopathogens. The mode of action of the test nanoparticles should be further investigated.
Highlights
Antifungal testing using the test nanoparticles/mancozeb combinations was carried out using the food poisoning method
Future direction to this study is to investigate how Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles/mancozeb combinations could be used for crop protection against phytopathogens
The fungal pathogen isolated from diseased cassava leaves in this study was identified as Eurotium sp
Summary
There is great concern over global food security, which is facing severe challenges across the world. The protection of important crop plants such as cassava against pathogens has a critical role to play in meeting the high food demand of the ever-growing human population. Cassava originated from Latin America, and it has been grown by the indigenous Indian population for at least 4000 years (Akinpelu et al, 2011) It is among the major food crops grown in Africa. Affordable and widely used globally (Alves, 2002) It is highly rich in starch (carbohydrate) as well as other nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, potassium, sodium and magnesium (Desse and Taye, 2001). The current study investigated the antifungal activities of phytosynthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles/mancozeb against Eurotium sp. The current study investigated the antifungal activities of phytosynthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles/mancozeb against Eurotium sp. isolated from diseased cassava
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